Our Family Portrait
by MyImmortal329
Summary: After a painful divorce following a difficult marriage, Carol Peletier is finally happy again with a new life and a new business. She doesn't expect her entire world to change the day Daryl Dixon walks into her studio with those ripped jeans and a hell of a lot more baggage than she bargained for. AU/NO ZA
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing from The Walking Dead. The characters belong to the creator of the comic books and television show. Thanks!

Our Family Portrait

Chapter 1

"Can you smile for me, Benny?" Carol asked, kneeling in front of the toddler and smiling brightly. He sniffled, scratched his nose and peered up at his mother who looked haggard but hopeful behind Carol.

"Come on, Benny. Just one more?" his mother pleaded.

"No," he grumbled. Carol's shoulders slumped at the exchange. "No pictures!"

"Benny, do you like dinosaurs?"

"No!"

"How about race cars?"

"No," he muttered, kicking the toe of his shoe into a wayward letter block. Carol shifted when her knees started to ache.

"How about ice cream?" One last ditch effort to charm the cranky kid. Benny's eyes brightened. His mother took a step forward.

"Oh, Benny loves ice cream. Strawberry is his favorite. How about two scoops of strawberry on the way home for one more big smile?" The mother's bribery worked, and the kid smiled brightly. Carol managed to get a few rapid fire captures in before taking his mother over to the computer to pick out her favorite snaps.

"Oh, my Benny is a photogenic boy, isn't he?" the mother gushed, as the child ran in rampant circles around the prop room. Carol grimaced at the sound of something toppling over.

"Oh yeah. Cute kid," she said with a forced smile and raised eyebrows. "You must be proud." The mother giggled and quickly made her order selection before writing out a check and putting it on Carol's desk.

By the time Carol pulled onto the freeway, the sun was settling in the Atlanta horizons. Her trusty camera was packed away neatly in its case on the passenger's seat, and despite the ache in her bones and the yawn on her lips, she had had a good day's work. Three family portraits, one pregnancy announcement, one newborn shoot and a few photo sessions with unruly kids had pretty much paid her studio rent for the next two months and even some money to splurge on old furniture at flea markets for the prop room. She made a mental note to thank her best friend Michonne for convincing her to advertise on social media.

By the time she got home, the street lights were flickering on, and dining room lights were illuminated all through the neighborhood. Carol's house was dark, but the moment her key turned her key in the door, her cell phone buzzed in her pocket. She quickly pushed the door open to the loud beep of the security system, stumbled through the dark to the illuminated keypad and typed in the code to silence the house again. She gently placed her camera bag on the hall table and fished her phone from her pocked. She checked the caller ID and smiled.

"Hey!"

"So? Was I right?" Michonne asked with a laugh on the other line.

"You were _so_ right," Carol laughed, flipping on the hall light and toeing off her shoes before slipping into the living room and throwing herself on the couch. "I have three more sessions lined up tomorrow, and two of my clients asked for my business card to give to their friends. My _business card_ , Michonne!"

"See, I told you! You're amazing, and everybody around town will see that."

"I only have you to thank for that," Carol sighed. "If it hadn't been for you, I never would have bought that camera. Hell, I never would have looked into that office space downtown, either."

"Ed did a number on you," Michonne said quietly. "I'm just glad you got out before…"

"It's the past, Michonne."

"It's the past, but as long as he's walking around living and breathing, he's still…"

"He never put a hand on me, Michonne," Carol insisted. "As controlling and…and possessive as he was, he never hurt me like that."

"Why do you sound like you're sticking up for him?"

"I'm not." Carol's voice was even. Calm.

"He _threatened_ you, Carol. Maybe he never followed through, but I was there for a few of those phone calls. I saw the look in your eyes. You were scared."

"He's not stupid enough to come near me."

"A piece of paper means nothing to a guy like that."

"I think he's scared of Andrea, to be honest. She pretty much had him by the balls in the court room. A print out of all of his texts certainly helped."

"I still worry," Michonne insisted. "I'm glad you at least got a security system."

"And don't forget my lean, mean, barking machine," Carol chuckled, as a fluffy German Shepherd puppy bolted into the room with a bone in his mouth. He quirked his head to the side before dropping his bone and jumping up onto the couch so Carol could scratch him behind the ears. "How's my baby, hmm?"

"Yeah, he's a real man eater, that one," Michonne snorted. "Didn't he hide under your bed during the storm the other night?"

"He's just a baby, Michonne. He was scared," Carol pouted. "Isn't that right, Lucky? Yes. That's a good boy. Oh, mommy didn't mean to leave you for so long today. Traffic was awful."

"You _really_ need to find a man," Michonne snorted. "Preferably one that looks talks and acts nothing like your asshole ex husband."

"Oh, here we go again," Carol sighed. "I am perfectly happy being single, Michonne. I'm happy now, Michonne. Really. I'm making my own money, meeting new people, saving money for the future. I actually have a future to look forward to, Mich. You know? I'm not stuck being a piece of jewelry on my husband's arm at some boring dinner. I'm not sitting at home staring at the TV screen wondering if somebody Ed knew saw me talking to the cute guy behind the register at the store a little too long."

"And you say I shouldn't worry about Ed," Michonne scoffed. "Let me repeat what you just said…"

"Ok, I get it," Carol insisted. "It all played out very loudly in court. He was abusive, even if he never hit me. I don't love him, I don't miss him, and I certainly don't care if I ever see him again. But I can't spend the rest of my life being afraid that he's going to suddenly miss what he thinks we had in the middle of the night and come knocking on my door."

"That's…healthy, actually. It still won't stop me from worrying about you."

"Well, don't. I'm fine, and I'm happy for the first time in my life. And when or if I meet someone else, we'll see how things go. I'm not twenty-two anymore. I think I spot a disaster in the making from a mile away now, thanks to Ed. For now, I've got my job, my camera, my Lucky. Oh, and you, of course." Michonne chuckled at that. "Thank you for worrying about me. You've done so much for me. If it wasn't for you, I might not have gotten out of there."

"Yes you would have," Michonne insisted. "You already had one foot out the door. I just kind of nudged you the rest of the way out."

"In the middle of the night with your cop boyfriend as backup," Carol pointed out. "And I can still never thank you enough for helping get me out of there before Ed could really do some damage."

"He did enough," Michonne pointed out.

"True," Carol sighed. "Michonne?"

"Hmm?"

"Today was a good day."

"Good. I'm glad. Hey, I think Rick's calling. Talk to you tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Carol promised. "Love you, Mich."

"Love you back." Carol ended the call and flopped back on the couch. She felt a cold, wet nose nudge her hand, and she scratched Lucky behind the ears again.

"C'mon. I think I've got enough energy in me for one short walk." As if he knew exactly what she was saying, he hopped up and leapt off the couch, running to the corner where his leash was hanging on the coat rack. Carol chuckled and sat up, groaning at the ache in her knees from crouching to toddler level.

She slipped on her comfy walking shoes and hooked Lucky's leash to his collar.

"Alright, boy. Let's make this one quick."

...

A year ago, the idea of owning her own business had been nothing more than a dream to Carol Peletier. She was in the middle of a nasty divorce with her well-off husband who just happened to have a lot of connections. She'd been sleeping on her best friend's couch and working two jobs just to pay her lawyer fees. What she hadn't known was that her lawyer Andrea Harrison had better connections than Ed and his lawyers put together. Somehow, she'd gotten Carol a settlement large enough to purchase a home and pay off the first year's taxes. She hadn't wanted a cent from Ed Peletier, but the hell he'd put her through with constant threatening texts and calls in the middle of the night after the separation and the way he'd alienated her from friends and what little family she had over the course of their five year marriage had made accepting the divorce settlement and the restraining order a little easier. She hadn't wanted anything from him, but she sure as hell didn't want to depend on Michonne until she found something better than answering phones at a call center and processing late fees at the local library.

She had put the remainder of the divorce settlement in the bank, and she'd continued working both jobs until she had a nice savings to add to the bank. When she'd felt comfortable giving up one job, she'd called the call center and told them she wouldn't be coming back. She had remained at the library doing paperwork and making calls to book borrowers to remind them of their late fees. And by chance, one afternoon, a children's activity group at the library had ended up without a photographer at the last minute, so Carol had been asked to step in. She'd been given some old, clunky camera, and she'd just started taking photos.

After relating the story to Michonne over a glass of wine, they'd found the pictures on the library website. To Carol's surprise, they'd been pretty good shots, and Michonne had pointed out Carol's sharp eye for detail and angles.

Carol wasn't really even certain how that had led to a serious discussion of buying a camera and giving photography a try. About eight months ago, Carol had gotten her first gig shooting wedding photos for a friend of a friend of a cousin's of Michonne's cop boyfriend's kid's uncle on his mother's side, and suddenly, a door to a whole new world had opened up for her.

Now, with the help of her now former library co-workers and her lawyer Andrea and, of course, Michonne and her flair for advertising and charming personality, Carol had a photography studio, a growing number of clients and an increasing income that made the future feel more possible and more within reach by the day. She had dreams of traveling and of her pictures maybe one day being in coffee table books all over the world. Oh, those were still dreams, of course. But so was freedom from Ed, once.

 _Carol's Captures_ was now being advertised in the local newspaper, on social media, and there had even been a spot on the local news about the place. Though the studio was only where a small percent of her work was done. She loved what she called on-location shoots, going down to some old train tracks for senior pictures or to a pretty lake for engagement photos. She loved the newborn photo shoots, loved the hope and excitement in the parents' faces. She loved the innocence of a sleeping baby's face. Those were her favorites, but every photo session was unique. Every family was unique.

So, when Carol's first appointment of the day stepped through the studio door the next morning, she was prepared for a family shoot. What she wasn't prepared for was the ruggedly handsome man that came walking in with a toddler in one arm and a baby carrier gripped tightly in his free hand. His blue eyes were the first thing she noticed, followed by the way his light brown, shaggy hair fell into his eyes as he struggled with the door and the kids at the same time.

She stood quickly from the rolling chair at her desk, eyes wide with surprise as the man stumbled over the threshold.

"Oh! Are you ok?" she asked, quickly crossing the room as he put the little girl down in a chair.

"Stay there, Charlie." He looked up at Carol. "Uh, yeah. We're good. Sorry I'm a little late." Carol glanced at the clock. The morning certainly had passed by quickly, and he was twenty minutes late. "If we gotta wait, I understand."

"Not necessary. I don't have another appointment until this afternoon." She couldn't help but notice the rip in his shirt and the smudge of what looked like pancake syrup on the ripped leg of his jeans. The little girl was dressed in a pair of dark tights and a purple dress. Her curly blonde hair was pulled back in a matching purple headband with a flower on the side. The baby in the carrier was dressed in a little grey and blue outfit that snapped at the bottom. He wore fuzzy blue socks and a grey knitted cap on his head. "You're here for the family portrait?" she asked, eyeing him.4

"Uh, not me," he choked out. "Just them." He cleared his throat, putting the baby's carrier on another chair and straightening up. He turned toward Carol, pausing briefly when his gaze caught hers. Her eyes were wide with curiosity. Her dark auburn hair was cut in a short pixie cut that highlighted those mesmerizing, curious eyes.

"So you're…" She checked her phone for her list of appointments. "Daryl Dixon." He nodded. "Nice to meet you, Daryl. I'm Carol Peletier."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Peletier? That French?"

"I think so, but _I'm_ not. And neither is my ex-husband," she said with a little grin that got a sort of chuckle out of him. "Cute kids." She couldn't help but notice he wasn't wearing a ring before mentally scolding herself for even looking. Still, she was a woman with a pulse who couldn't help but feel an attraction to a gorgeous guy.

"Thanks. Uh, that's Charlotte, and her brother's name's Jack." Carol smiled.

"Hi, Charlotte," she said with a little wave. "You look very pretty." The little girl smiled.

"Say thank you," Daryl urged. The little girl giggled and nodded her head. "She's shy."

"That's ok," Carol chuckled. "How old are they?"

"Uh, Charlotte…Charlie's two. Jack's…three…no. Two weeks." He ran a hand over his tired face. "Meant to get 'em in sooner, but…"

"That's ok. I know a lot of parents like to have professional photos taken early for the memories. I've dealt with my share of sleepy parents."

"Jack don't sleep much," Daryl murmured. He blinked his bleary eyes and took a peek around the studio. There were a few example photos on the walls but not much, and Carol felt a little self-conscious the longer Daryl looked around.

"We're still getting things set up," Carol said quietly.

"We?" He looked around for other employees.

"Oh," Carol chuckled nervously. Her cheeks suddenly felt warm. "It's just me. I just…I hope to hire an assistant if my business really takes off." She watched him bob his head a little, and then she looked toward the door before turning her attention back to him.

"Are we waiting for their mother or…?"

"Just them," Daryl said quietly. "Their mama ain't…I mean, she…she ain't..." He looked down at Charlie and then back at Carol, eyes clouding over for a moment. He swallowed the lump in his throat, opened his mouth but couldn't find the words.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I can't imagine…" Carol felt her heart fall, and she watched as Daryl ran a hand through his hair.

"It's ok. Hey, I got to be somewhere in a couple hours. This take long or…" He cleared his throat, and Carol watched his face fall. "Sorry. Didn't mean it to sound that way."

"It's fine," she assured him. "Why don't we take the children back, and we can go over the different photo packages?"

"Yeah. Sounds good," Daryl offered. He grabbed the baby carrier with one hand and Charlie's hand with the other, and he followed Carol back to the studio where her tripod was set up. Charlie immediately saw some props she liked and hurried off to play. "Sorry about that. She…"

"It's ok. She's very well behaved. You've done a good job with her." Daryl swallowed hard and nodded, placing the baby carrier on the floor. He gently unbuckled the baby and picked him up. The baby's head lolled and Daryl held him to his chest, rubbing his back as the baby grunted and then stretched and stilled. Carol smiled at him.

"He gets fussy if we ain't in the car or he ain't bein' held. Only a matter of time for he woulda started cryin'."

"I understand." She chewed her lip, even more curious about the little family but not wanting to press him for obvious reasons. The mother was gone, and he was obviously taking care of two little ones on his own. She couldn't imagine how difficult that must have been. He couldn't have been much older than her. Just a couple of years ago, she and Ed had been trying to have children. She was thankful that never came to fruition, because the last thing she would have wanted was to have dragged a child through the shambles of that relationship.

Just as she was about to turn her attention back to business, Daryl's phone rang. He froze for a moment, before he pulled the phone from his pocked at checked the caller ID. He groaned briefly before shifting the baby in his arms.

"Sorry. I gotta take this." The baby started to fuss, and Carol watched him struggle to hold the phone to his ear and calm the baby.

"Here. If you don't mind, I can hold him."

"You ain't gotta…"

"It's ok," she offered. "I don't mind." She smiled and reached out, and Daryl paused only for a moment before handing the little one over.

"You gotta be careful of…"

"Of his head. I know," she assured him, gently holding the baby close and supporting his head.

"Thanks," Daryl said with a nod, before stepping away to take his call. She smiled, looking down at the baby. She had held many babies during photo sessions. Holding them seemed to put everything into perspective. He looked so fragile, and he felt heavier in her arms than he looked. She couldn't help but lean down and inhale that fresh scent of baby powder and formula she had grown accustomed to during the newborn shoots.

She gently lifted the edge of his cap to reveal soft blonde peach fuzz that was so light and fine he might as well have been bald. He grunted a little, peeked one eye open and closed it again before letting out a contented sigh.

 _"I ain't gonna be late."_ Carol turned her attention back to Daryl who was pacing back and forth. _"Yeah. I know. He already signed over rights. I'm the one takin' care of his responsibilities."_ Carol felt a hand on her knee. She looked down to see Charlie staring up at her with big, blue eyes.

"My brother," she said with a grin, putting one chubby hand on Jack's leg.

"That's your brother," Carol said with a nod.

"I'm Charlie," Charlie said with a nod. "Hi."

"Hi, Charlie. I'm Carol," Carol grinned. "You look like a princess." Charlie giggled and covered her face with her hands before rushing off to play with something that caught her eye.

 _"Didn't mean it that way. Shit. I ain't slept."_ Carol couldn't help but look back at Daryl who was still pacing. _"I ain't changin' my mind. They ain't got nobody else. Her parents are gone, and my…what? No. 'Course I ain't. No. I ain't gonna do that to them."_ He stopped then. _"They said it was all but done. I just gotta sign the papers. Look, I paid you…"_ He groaned. _"Don't give me that bullshit. I paid my fees. They're good with me, alright? Charlie's been with me since…no! No, you ain't gonna pull that shit. I hired you to wrap this up. He ain't gettin' out, and they ain't goin' in the system. Just do your fuckin' job."_

Daryl shoved his phone back into his pocket and came walking back toward Carol and the baby.

"Sorry 'bout that."

"No, that's…that's ok. Lawyer trouble, I presume?"

"How'd you guess?"

"I've been there. Thankfully, I have a pretty damned good lawyer now. I can give you her number if…"

"No, everything's fine. It'll be fine," he said quietly. He cleared his throat. "I'm supposed to be the uncle. Ain't never even wanted kids of my own. Now I got two."

"I'm sorry," Carol said quietly.

"Nah. Don't be. They're great. I mean, I ain't slept much in two years, but I love 'em, and I ain't lettin' some stranger raise my own blood. My brother made a mess of things, oh, but not before knockin' up his girlfriend again before they both got busted." He shook his head. Carol stared at him for a moment, uncertain of what to say. "Shit, m'sorry. Don't know why I'm tellin' you all this."

"It's ok. Really. It's oddly refreshing when someone comes through that door that doesn't act like they have all of their shit together. Or the families that argue up until I tell them to smile, and then they pose for the perfect family photo."

"So these? They're just bullshit?" He nodded to the few examples Carol had hanging on her wall. She worried her lip between her teeth for a moment before nodding.

"Hmm. Some of them," she offered.

"Kinda makes me feel better," he said with a shrug, taking Jack back into his arms. Carol smiled softly and cleared her throat, standing and motioning toward the table and backdrop.

"Are you sure you don't want to be in the pictures?"

"Don't seem right," he murmured. "Just want them to have the things they ought to growin' up, you know? Baby pictures and all that."

"Seems like you're an awfully important part of their life." She watched as Daryl flinched. "I know it's not my place, but, I think maybe they're going to want you in these pictures someday." Carol gave him a little shrug and a smile, and Daryl felt something tug deep inside. That smile was something else, something warm, something that made his head swim and his stomach do somersaults.

Baby Jack began to fuss then, and Daryl gently bounced him in his arms.

"Hey, it's ok. I got ya. Shh shh shh." Then his phone began to ring again. "Shit."

"Hey, why don't I take this little guy, and I'll just get started?"

"You sure?"

"Sure. I can take several shots and let you pick out the ones you like best. I'm sure Jack will be fast asleep in a few minutes. Right, little guy?" Carol gently ran her finger over his cheek, and he grunted and took in a deep, puffing breath. Daryl gently handed him back over, and Carol cradled him. "You've got your hands full." She gave him a sympathetic smile before turning toward the back of the studio. Daryl watched her for a moment as she walked toward Charlotte, and when he heard Carol speak softly to the little girl, he looked down at his phone to see who was calling. "Princess Charlie, are you ready for your royal portrait?"

"Uh, hey, we're gonna have to reschedule," Daryl called. "M'sorry."

"It's ok. It's fine," Carol promised, turning back toward him. "Here." She handed the baby back to Daryl and pulled something out of her back pocket. "My card." She went to hand it to him, but his hands were a little full. His cheeks flushed red when her fingers brushed over his, and when he dropped the card from between his fingers, she picked it up and bit her lip. She thought about tucking the card into his pocket but realized that would probably be extremely forward, and she'd probably never see him again and be labeled as the crazy lady who hits on single guys with that desperate look in their eyes.

Instead, she stepped around him and tucked the card into the side of the baby's carrier.

"Call me when you're ready to reschedule. I'm pretty flexible." She blushed. "My schedule." She saw his cheeks turn a little pink. "And remember what I said about my lawyer. She's great. Her name's Andrea Harrison, and she's the best thing that happened to my car wreck of a marriage. She totaled it." Daryl snorted at that, and Carol smiled. "You'll be alright?"

"Yeah. Just gotta get my shit together." He cleared his throat and put the baby down in the car seat. "Thanks for this. Sorry to waste your time. C'mon, Charlie. We gotta go." He buckled the baby in carefully, and by the time Charlotte came rushing over and took him by the hand, his cell phone was going off again.

"Good luck," Carol called out. He glanced back at her, gave her a little nod, gaze lingering long enough that she felt her face grow warm, and then he was gone, leaving Carol's studio a little too silent. She sighed then, peeking out the window as she saw him fighting with the car seat lock. She hadn't pegged him for the SUV type, but, she thought, he'd probably never pegged himself for the type either.

A little smile curled at her lips when she saw him gently lift Charlie into the vehicle. For the first time, a family had left her feeling a little uncertain about herself. Here she was, thankful for her budding success and for the curveballs life had thrown her way since she'd started her divorce proceedings. Then there was Daryl, a guy who had by his own admission never expected to be a dad, taking care of his niece and nephew like they were his own, taking on the responsibility for what she could only assume was a shitty hand those poor kids were dealt from conception.

She felt a pull at her heart, and she shook her head. She never lingered much on a client or family after a session, but she was pretty certain Daryl Dixon would be on her mind for a while with those pale blue eyes.

...

Daryl pulled up outside the small trailer with white-painted shutters and a flower box at each window. Little while flowers with yellow centers budded along green vines. A sleepy cat lay curled up on the front step, peeking one eye open when Daryl cut the engine. He peeked into the rear view mirror to see Charlie yawning sleepily, eyes heavy as she drifted toward the edge of sleep.

"We here?" she asked sleepily.

"We're here. You'll be good while I'm gone?"

"Uh-huh." She nodded her head and yawned again. Daryl got out and helped Charlie unbuckle herself from her car seat before unlatching Jack's seat and grabbing the diaper bag. As soon as Charlie had her feet on the ground, she started running toward the porch. The sleepy cat sprung up, tail bristled, and he ran off under a nearby bush.

"Charlie, careful!" Daryl called out. Charlie climbed the steps to the door, pressing her face against the bottom screen.

"We here!" she called. "We here, Gamma!" Daryl hurried along to catch up, barely jostling the baby in his seat. When a slender, short woman with long, dark blonde hair that had gone mostly white appeared at the door, a smile spread over her face.

"There's my girl!"

"Back up, Charlie," Daryl urged, so the woman could open up the door. As soon as she could squeeze through, Charlie hugged the woman around the leg. She laughed and scooped the child up into her arms.

"You sure it's ok, bringin' 'em early?"

"You really think I'm going to say no to spending a little extra time with my only grandbabies, Daryl Dixon? Do you even know me at all?"

"Sorry, Ma," he chuckled, leaning in to give her a kiss on the cheek. When he pulled back, Mary Dixon crinkled her brow.

"You look tired. Have you slept?"

"Not much," he admitted.

"I told you I don't mind to take them for a couple of nights a week so you can rest."

"I got it, Ma," he promised. "He just ain't got his nights and days figured out yet. Charlie figured it out. So will he. Remember, you're the one who helped me when she was born." They stepped into the small living room where a floral-print couch lined the wall behind a coffee table. Daryl put the baby's seat down and unloaded the diaper bag, as Mary sat down with Charlie in her lap.

"Have you talked to your brother?" Mary asked quietly.

"Yesterday. He signed the papers last week. Now I'm just waitin' on the laywer to get his head outta his ass."

"Language," Mary scolded, covering Daryl's ears. She sucked her teeth with a tsk. "I don't know where I went wrong."

"Ma, it ain't your fault."

"Your father was just so hard on you boys. I should have put my foot down."

"You did the best you could. Dad just didn't want us growin' up like he did. He did the best he could, too. 'Sides, Merle made his own mistakes, and now he's gotta live with 'em." He sat down and got Jack unstrapped from the seat. "Here. Hold the baby, Ma. You'll feel better." Mary sighed but couldn't help but smile at her only grandson. Charlie hopped up when she spotted one of her toys on the table in the kitchen, so she hurried off to grab that, while Mary took the baby in her arms. She held him close and inhaled that sweet baby scent.

"Oh, I remember when you were this little. You know, he even kinda looks like you. I think he's got Merle's ears. He gets that from your father. But he's definitely got your jaw." Daryl could help the little tug at his lips. He had no right to be proud like a father should be, but he was still proud. This kid was his flesh and blood, and so far, he'd managed to take care of him like Merle should have been doing.

He closed his eyes for a brief minute and felt the pull of exhaustion falling over him like a warm blanket. He shook his head and blinked.

"You need to rest. Why don't you lay down and put your feet up?"

"Can't. Gotta meet with my lawyer before court. Just want this to be over."

"Merle knows he's not gonna be there to raise them. He signed the papers. The home study was good. They know you're fit to raise them. All they have to do is approve the adoption, and…"

"This could last months. I could lose 'em, Ma. What if Nina's kin…"

"You won't lose them," she insisted. "Nina and Merle got themselves into a lot of trouble, but these two are the best things they ever did. I'm sorry Nina's gone. It's a shame. I think there was some good still left in that girl. Somewhere. But whatever family she has doesn't even know these babies. _You_ do. You're a good man, Daryl. I've known you would be since you were this big." She nodded toward baby Jack. "You've always cleaned up your brother's messes. You've been taking care of his responsibilities for too long. You don't have to do this alone, you know?" She gently put her hand on his. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. I've cut my library hours back just to free up some time with the kids."

"Ya didn't have to do that."

"Honey, I _wanted_ to. I still get a paycheck, and I've got what your grandma and grandpa left me still in my savings. I haven't touched a penny, because I knew that someday that money would come in handy. Now's as good a time as any, right?" She patted his hand again before standing up and taking the baby over to the little bassinet in the corner. Daryl stood and fidgeted with his keys for a moment, and the next thing he knew, his mother was wrapping him in a hug. She gave him a squeeze and pulled back to give him that smile she always had just for him since he was a boy. She believed in him. "Now, you go out there and show them you're the best daddy these kids are ever gonna have."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Merle Dixon had been the rebel of the family since he was old enough to pull the Velcro tight on his first new pair of pre-school shoes. Will Dixon had worked the line at an auto assembly plant, and he had pulled long hours trying to put food on the table for pregnant wife and son.

Mary Dixon had always recounted how Merle would kneel by the front door from the time he was a toddler and stare out toward the driveway waiting for his dad to get home. Many nights, Will went out drinking with his buddies and came home after supper was cold and his son was already in bed. And when he'd come home, Mary would always greet him with an exasperated look and a kiss on the cheek, tell him to sleep it off on the couch and come to bed when he was sober. He rarely came to bed, and the old couch had a permanent dip in the middle.

Mary Dixon had come from money, and her parents had forbade her to marry Will, a young man traveling through with his truck driver father, but his charm had swept her off of her feet, and her folks had pretty much cut her off, disowned her until the children came. When Merle was born, he was the apple of his grandpa's eye, but that had only been short lived, because grandpa had keeled over of a heart attack, and grandma had started losing track of time and names and eventually had to go to a home. But, before she'd lost all lucidity, she'd made up her will and left the biggest part of the estate to her only child, Mary.

Daryl remembered growing up hearing Merle grouching about how he didn't know why they had to go without since Mama had money. Mary would only say that they had everything they needed, some things they wanted, and that was a lot more than some people had. She always pressed that the inheritance money was to be used for when they really needed it, and Will Dixon had sharply reminded him that money didn't make him the man he was. He had to work hard for that.

Merle and Will had clashed at all opportunity, and by the time Daryl was old enough to get in the middle, that's pretty much where he stayed. He'd been a buffer between his brother and dad, and sometimes Will would get madder than a hornet. He'd made them cut their share of switches from the willow tree out back. But at the end of the day, Will tried. He'd make the effort to tell them that living like they had money would only make them a target and wouldn't make them into the people they were supposed to be.

Merle hated that. Daryl sort of got it. Daryl hadn't been a kid of many wants, and he was happiest when it was just him and his old man out hunting for days on end. Sometimes, even Merle would come along, but those times were always tense, and Merle always shot his smart mouth off and ended up putting their dad in a bad mood. Sometimes, Daryl hated Merle. But they were still blood. They were still brothers. And at the end of the day, Merle always looked out for his baby brother, even though he always called him the golden boy, dad's favorite. Still, Daryl was no saint. He'd had his share of switches cut from the willow tree. He'd gone to bed hungry a few nights.

Then there was Mary, always serving up a big breakfast the next day, telling her boys that their father loved them more than he loved himself, and if he could make everything right, he would.

Merle held grudges much longer than he needed to, and by the time he was old enough to drive, he was out causing trouble and ending up in juvie. By the time he was grown, he was in with the wrong crowd, getting into drugs, getting himself arrested for things that only kept him behind bars for a few weeks at a time, until he got into the big leagues—so to speak—and started doing time for possession, for intent to sell, for other stupid shit that he could have easily avoided if he would have just made an effort to turn his life around.

By the time Daryl was a senior in high school, Merle was doing four years at the state prison.

College had never really been in the cards for Daryl. It wasn't that Mary hadn't made a special allowance to withdraw from her savings for it. Daryl was a bright kid. He just didn't have high hopes of some stuffy desk job or curing cancer or any of that. He hadn't made the best grades in high school, though he'd been a better student than Merle, by far.

He'd graduated, but his disinterest in his studies had taken a toll on his GPA. So, even if he'd wanted to go to college, not many universities would have taken him. What he liked to do was hunt and fix cars with his old man. He liked working with his hands, and he'd clocked more than a few hours in local garages, getting paid by the hour to fix crap cars to make them not so crappy.

Will Dixon died two days after suffering a massive stroke, and it had hit Daryl like a freight train. Merle couldn't come to the funeral, because he was locked up, but he'd always said that his dad probably would've rolled in his grave if he'd shown up to the funeral. Daryl never understood that. For as much as Will and Merle clashed, Will loved both of his sons and tried to do right by them.

By the time Merle was out of prison and running around with Nina Ellis, Daryl knew it was only a matter of time before his brother got busted for something once again. Nina was no angel. She had done time at the women's prison for solicitation and selling to an undercover policeman, but she was trying to get on the straight and narrow.

By the time Nina was pregnant, Daryl was tending bar at a seedy little dive in town that paid pretty well considering most of the local drunks would hang out all night on payday. It had been a particularly long night that saw him crashing onto his bed at just after four in the morning when his phone had rung and a frantic Merle had asked him to go to the hospital. Merle had been sitting at the county jail for public intoxication, and Nina was in labor.

Daryl didn't really know Nina. She was a former meth head that was trying to get on the straight and narrow. For all Daryl knew, she was clean while she was pregnant, but she was still Merle's girl, and where Merle went, she went, and when Merle got into trouble, trouble was usually not far behind for her.

The birth had been rough on Nina, and when the nurse finally let him in to see his niece, Nina was sedated and barely able to keep her eyes open. But Daryl had been mesmerized by those big, blue eyes that seemed far too alert for a baby Charlotte's age. He'd held her for what felt like an hour, saying nothing, barely blinking, just sitting there and staring at her like his whole world had changed.

And little did he know, his life would never be the same. Just as he'd been getting ready to head home, two police officers arrived. When the nurses had put Nina's clothes away, a small packet of a white, powdery substance had fallen to the floor.

The next couple of days had been a blur. The baby had been tested for traces of drugs, and thankfully those tests had come up negative. Nina, when lucid enough to make a statement, explained that she was holding it for a friend. Mary had shown up at the hospital in tears and angry, and by the end of the brief investigation into the white powder in Nina's pocket, she was being read her rights, and Daryl was taking home a pink-faced baby girl. Emergency custody is what they'd called it. Emergency custody had turned into sole custody after hearings where most of the terminology went way over his head.

A few months later, Merle had gotten out of jail, crashed on Daryl's couch and tried to play daddy while Daryl was at work, but eventually, the pressure was too much, and he found his way back behind bars.

When Nina had gotten out of jail, she hadn't had family to turn to. She and Merle had gotten a cheap apartment with barely enough room for the two of them. Nina had begged Merle to talk to Daryl about letting them keep Charlie, but even Merle knew that Charlie was in better hands with his little brother. Merle had bought a couple cans of formula and a couple boxes of diapers with what little money he had when he got out of jail, but for the most part, visits were few and far between. _She's better off without us, baby bro._

It had broken Daryl's heart every time he looked at Charlie. She was a good baby. He was learning, and his mother had been there to teach him a few tricks about getting her to sleep or calming her when she got fussy. But he was pretty much in it alone, and knowing that Nina and Merle were out and about and barely making an effort to better themselves for their daughter was too much.

A couple of months after Charlie's first birthday, Merle called Daryl to tell him Nina was pregnant again. What should have been a happy moment for any family was gut-wrenching and made Daryl's heart fall. This time, he wasn't so certain Nina was clean.

The night Nina called Daryl in tears, screaming unintelligibly at him, he dropped Charlie off with his mother and made a beeline for the jail. This time, Merle's own lawyer told Daryl that he wasn't getting out for a good long time, if ever, but they'd try for a plea deal.

Nina had snuck out in the middle of the night to make a sale, and Merle had followed her. Apparently they'd had some trouble with a couple of buyers, so Merle had decided to take a gun that night. Daryl still wasn't entirely sure where that gun came from, but at this point, it really didn't matter. Things went bad, shots were fired, and Merle had been hit, but not before getting one fatal shot in of his own. It had been an accident, he'd said, but with his track record and Nina's, the prosecution had pretty much convinced the jury it was pre-meditated, despite Merle's own wound.

Nina had gotten off easy with a ten year sentence with the possibility of parole in four years. Merle hadn't been so lucky. He wasn't getting out, but he swore he'd fight it. So far, all appeals had gone denied.

The night Jack was born had been the longest of Daryl's life. The jail had contacted him to explain that Nina had been rushed to the hospital, that things weren't looking good for her or the baby. It was something about the placenta, something he found out later that could have been caught earlier with better medical care. She might not make it. The baby might not make it.

By the time he dropped Charlie off at his mother's and got to the hospital, a few social workers were there, one that he recognized from the night Charlie was born. That one approached him with paperwork and said the doctor would be out soon. The next few hours were a blur of signatures and nurses coming and going with updates. _The baby's here, but he's not breathing well. Mom's vitals aren't good. Baby's breathing. Good lungs. We're going to take some blood. Mom's not looking good. Baby boy's doing good. Tests are clean. Mom's crashing._

By the end of the night, Nina was gone and Daryl was holding his nephew in one arm and trying not to let his voice crack as he told his mother everything over the phone.

The next couple of weeks played out like one long movie in slow motion.

Now, as he sat on his couch in the middle of his quiet living room, he nudged a random toy with his foot, and it clattered against the leg of the coffee table. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, listening to the sounds of Jack breathing coming from the baby monitor. Silence.

Being a father had once felt like a foreign concept to him. Seeing the trouble that Will had with Merle, he couldn't imagine having a kid and loving him like Will loved them only to have that kid grow up to fuck everything up while he watched on helplessly.

He could still remember the first time he really felt like a father. Charlie rolled over for the first time, only she'd been laying on the couch and hit the floor. His heart had jumped into his throat, and she'd cried, and he'd picked her up and thought very seriously about taking her to the ER. But within a couple of minutes, she was the same giggly baby as before, and he realized that he couldn't protect her from everything, but he could damn well be there to comfort her when she was hurt.

Jack was a pretty good baby, too, most nights, but he was still getting used to the world, and Daryl knew he certainly wasn't perfect with them. He figured there had to be more than a few couples out there that would make wonderful parents for them and give them a good life.

Still, he thought back to the studio that morning, seeing those perfect family portraits on the wall. There were no perfect families. Nobody had all of their shit together, but hell, everybody could clean up and smile for the camera. He thought back to that morning, of that woman with the beautiful blue eyes who was patient and kind and that he opened up to like he really hadn't done before. He had always pretty much kept to himself, not strayed far from home except to check on his mother or to go to work. Now, his days were busy scheduling doctor's appointments, meeting with lawyers, taking care of the kids, making sure the kids were taken care of while he was working. Still, a part of him had felt like maybe this wasn't all permanent.

Today, however, things had turned in the right direction. The adoption was going through. His lawyer had pretty much had his head spinning before court, reminding him of all of the things that could go wrong or might have been brought up. He was, after all, a drug dealer's brother. Unmarried and working at a bar. But, the social worker had spoken up for Daryl, had insisted that the home visits were always good, that Charlie was a happy child and that as of Jack's two week newborn check up, he was gaining weight and healthy.

There was still paperwork to process and another court date with the judge, but the light at the end of the tunnel was finally in sight.

Now, he was exhausted. The kids were fed, bathed and sleeping. He was worn out and too damned tired to even take his own shower, but he knew if he didn't, he probably wouldn't have time for one in the morning.

When his phone vibrated on the coffee table, he picked it up and answered quickly.

"You ok, Ma?"

"I'm fine. Why do you always assume something's wrong when your mother calls you?" She chuckled. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "Been a long day."

"You still bringing the kids over tomorrow night?"

"Yeah. I appreciate you watchin' 'em, but it's a lot of work. You sure you're ok with it?"

"I wouldn't offer if I wasn't. They're my grandbabies. It's work I love doing." At his silence, she chuckled. "You never change, Daryl. Always worrying about me. Well, stop. Besides, I wouldn't want some stranger looking after those precious babies."

"You got me there," he admitted. "I'm gonna see if Axel will let me switch to openings. There ain't much business, but at least I'd be home at night with 'em." He shook his head. "Just feel like somethin' is gonna happen. It's so close to bein' done, and…"

"Breathe, Daryl." She was stern but soft. :Things are looking up. It was a good day, right?"

"Yeah," he said with a quiet nod, thinking back to those bright blue eyes, that smile, that mixed feeling of nerves and peace when he looked into those eyes. "Yeah. It was a good day."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The day Carol married Ed Peletier, she had thought she'd married her soul mate. He had been charming and funny when he wanted to be, though he was all business when it came to some matters. He wasn't the most romantic of partners, but he had treated her well, even whisking her off to the Bahamas for their honeymoon.

Carol hadn't been from humble beginnings by any means, but Ed was able to give her things that she hadn't considered having before. He'd given her a nice home, a nice car, the lifestyle of a housewife that had brunch with friends or went to the gym three times a week. She had worked part time jobs all through school, so she had work experience, only she really didn't have to work once she married Ed. He'd told her that he had the means to provide for her, so that's what he did. Still, Carol made certain to keep herself busy with volunteering wherever she could. But as far as family, she really had none. She was a surprise to both of her parents who accepted ten years into their marriage that they would never have children. By the time she graduated high school, her mother had passed, and her father wasn't too far from following behind her.

Her parents had left what little they had in savings to her, and that had helped her find a place to live and to get a cheap car. She had had a pretty awesome guidance counselor in high school that had helped her apply for scholarships, so a good chunk of college tuition was paid for.

She'd never really settled on any one major and had finally graduated with a general degree. The night of graduation, she'd met Ed at a bar, and he'd swept her off of her feet.

But a couple of years into their marriage, something in Ed had changed. Work had kept him busy until all hours, and there were more than a few times Carol had suspected he'd been cheating on her. It wasn't until he started accusing her of sleeping around that she'd started to believe it.

Michonne, Carol's best friend since sophomore year at the university, had never cared for Ed. She had suggested that perhaps Ed's own infidelities were clouding his thinking, and that was why he was accusing her of cheating, too. Carol hadn't wanted to hear it at first, but the more late nights he had, the more he came home tired and grumpy and jumped right in the shower, the more she began to wonder.

Shortly after Michonne had helped her move out and get away from Ed, everything started to clear up for her and come into focus. And then the phone calls started. First it was just once a day. Then it would happen at night. Then the texts came.

Things had been bad for a long time, but now everything was starting to fall into place. Since the restraining order had been placed, she hadn't seen or heard from him again except for one last court hearing before the divorce was finalized. She knew Michonne worried. She was also lying when she said she wasn't worried or how it was all in the past, because the kind of mind games he'd played in the end were still very present in the back of her mind. She would never forget witnessing him turn into a person she never thought he could be. She was forever thankful to Michonne for getting her out of there before it was too late.

...

Carol sighed contentedly as she sunk back into the big, claw foot tub in her bathroom. The hot, soapy water covered her up past her breasts, and she wiggled her toes under the surface. She sighed, taking a sip of red wine before placing the glass down on a small table by the tub with a clink.

The tub was her favorite feature of the house, and she would never admit that it was one of the biggest selling features about the place. She had always wanted one like it, and after five years of taking cramped baths in the too-short, too narrow tub at the house she shared with Ed, it felt nice to stretch out and relax after a long day.

She'd had a few photo sessions that day, but nothing could take her mind off of the gorgeous guy who'd walked into her studio that morning and left a piece of her changed in some way. She couldn't put a finger on it, but she couldn't help but walk around with her head in the clouds. She felt for him, for his situation. She had had her share of bad shit happen, but nothing like this guy. He was a mystery to her, as all of her clients were, but none of the other families that had come through her door had left her with the striking desire to know more.

And for the first time in years, she felt something bubbling in her blood, tingling in her skin. She felt attraction. Desire. And she felt a little guilty about it, considering the guy already had enough on his place. He certainly didn't need some divorcee photographer lusting over him when he didn't even have time to sew the rip in his shirt.

When her phone buzzed on the stand next to her wine glass, she peeked over to see it was Michonne calling. She dried off one hand quickly and took the call, tapping the speaker phone before sinking back into the bubbles.

"Hey, Mich."

"Hey. What's that…are you in the bath tub?"

"It's eight-thirty. Where else would I be?"

"You could come out with me."

"Don't you have a date?" Carol asked. "Where's Officer Rick?"

"Working," Michonne mumbled. "He took a shift for one of his cop buddies, so he's probably out writing tickets and picking up hookers." She paused. "Not like _that_ , of course."

"Of course," Carol laughed, tapping her big toe against the cool steel of the faucet. "I'm beat, Michonne."

"Long day?"

"Just busy. I had a cancellation this morning, so I had brunch with some people I worked with at the library. Then I drove all over trying to find this park with a giant white gazebo for some engagement photos. They turned out well, I think." She chewed her lip. "Michonne?"

"Hmm?"

"I felt something today."

"Okay…"

"No, I mean…I _felt_ something."

"Oh. Oh! You…you felt something. Okay, I need wine. Hold on." Carol smirked when she heard Michonne fumbling around the kitchen cabinet. A moment later, she heard the whoosh of the refrigerator door followed by the _pop_ of the wine cork and liquid glugging into a glass. Moments later, Michonne's voice rang out through the bathroom again. "Ok, so tell me everything. This is huge, right?"

"Well, I don't know," Carol sighed. "This guy comes in, and he's a mess, Mich. I mean, he's juggling two kids and has rips in his shirt and jeans. I mean, he looks like he got into a fight."

"Okay, sweetie, I think we need to talk about your taste in men."

"No, that's not what I…" She sighed. "I mean, he was gorgeous. He had this dark blonde hair that kind of fell into his eyes. Blue eyes. So blue, Mich. And he had the sweetest little girl and a baby boy, and he was just a wreck. I mean…"

"Single dad?"

"Sort of," Carol said quietly. "I mean, he was going through a lot, but this guy still managed to bring these kids in to get their picture taken. I mean, this is the kind of guy that tries."

"You got that all from him walking into your place a mess like that?"

"Well, no. We talked a little."

"Did he seem interested?"

"He was distracted and kept getting phone calls," Carol pointed out. "I mean, it's not like I was flirting with the guy. He just kind of struck me is all. I mean, I haven't felt anything like that in a long time. Maybe nothing like it before." She took another sip of wine. "He had to cancel before we got started."

"So, you're thinking about a guy that didn't show any interest toward you, who was a literal mess, who has two kids and can't stay off of his phone long enough to get their picture taken?" Carol frowned.

"It wasn't like that," Carol pointed out. Then her shoulders slumped. "I'll probably never see him again, anyway." She didn't like the sound of that coming out of her mouth.

"Hey, you know, we need a girl's night. Just you and me."

"I know," Carol replied, gently tapping her fingers against the side of the tub. "I haven't given myself much free time lately, huh?"

"Try none," Michonne pointed out. "You know what I think today was?"

"What?"

"I think this was you telling yourself that you're ready to get out there again."

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Not maybe. You have to jump in sometime, right?" Michonne paused and then laughed. "You do! I'm sure the guy with two kids and blue eyes was fine. But you might just get out there and find a guy with a little less baggage that knows how to show a girl a good time." Carol frowned at that. "What? You're still young. You were married and divorced all before thirty. Live a little." Carol still wasn't convinced. "Next Friday night? You and I are hitting the town. Deal?" A pause. "Deal?"

"Oh, fine," Carol huffed. "Next Friday night."

"Good! Hey, I gotta go."

"Wait, why'd you call me?"

"Huh?"

"You called me. I just kept rambling about my stuff."

"My sole purpose for calling was to get you out of the house. But you seem content with your bath and your wine, so I'll leave you be." Carol laughed at that.

"Thanks for thinking of me," she chirped. "Love you, Mich."

"Love you," Michonne chuckled. "Night." The line went silent, and Carol grabbed for her wine glass. She finished the glass and sunk a little deeper into the hot, soapy water with a smile on her lips and blue eyes on her mind.

...

The next afternoon, Carol didn't have any appointments set up, so she decided to work around the studio in case any walk-ins stopped by. She busied herself dusting and moving props around, and by the time lunch came around, she ordered a pizza and settled down in one of the prop bean bag chairs with a book.

She was about two chapters in when the door opened, and she looked up expecting her pizza. Instead, she got an eyeful of Daryl Dixon dressed in a fresh pair of jeans and a black button down shirt with the sleeves cut off. Her gaze was drawn immediately drawn to his muscular arms before she caught sight of those shy baby blues.

She blushed the second she realized she was barefoot and sitting in a big, purple bean bag chair. She also realized she had a black and white bandana on her head that she'd put on when she was dusting. She quickly snatched it off to make herself look less like a lazy pirate.

"Daryl. Hi," she chirped with a smile.

"Bad time?" he asked, stuffing his hands in his pocket.

"No. Not at all. I was just taking a lunch break." Daryl glanced at the book in her hand. "Lunch isn't here yet."

"Oh." He bobbed his head and watched Carol struggle to get up. When she fell back into the bean bag, he walked over and extended his hand. "Need some help?" His voice was gruff but soft, and Carol felt something pass from her fingertips to her gut the second she touched his hand.

"Thanks." She gave him a smile and tossed her book down. "No kids today?"

"On my way to work, actually," he murmured. "Meant to call, but I left the card at home." Carol couldn't help but bite back a grin. The man owned a cell phone, obviously used it often, and couldn't do a quick web search for her business phone number? Either he was incredibly clueless or he was making an excuse to see her. Oh, surely not. "What?"

"Nothing," she said with a little chuckle. "Did you want to re-schedule, or...?"

"Yeah. Uh, yeah. Sorry 'bout yesterday and everything."

"Everything go ok? You were pretty preoccupied."

"Yeah. It's fine. Good." He cleared his throat and ran his hand over his stubble-covered chin. "Tomorrow ok?"

"Tomorrow sounds good. We can schedule for late morning if you're working late tonight."

"That'd be good. You available at 11?"

"I'm available," she said with a nod, before her face flushed red again. "At 11." She cleared her throat and watched Daryl's ears turn pink. "Don't wear a tie."

"Huh?"

"When you change your mind and decide to be in the picture. A button down would look better. Maybe one with sleeves though." She winked. _Jesus, down girl._ Thankfully, he didn't look at her like an idiot. Instead, he blushed. He fucking blushed.

"Don't like gettin' my picture taken."

"Yeah, I can tell," she grinned. "But you will, because you know I'm right."

"You don't know me," he scoffed. But he didn't seem pissed. He seemed intrigued by her, and when his eyes really met hers, she felt her heart flutter in her chest.

"No," she said softly, taking a step around him when she saw the pizza guy at the door. She quickly pulled a twenty out of her pocket, told the guy to keep the change and carried the large with extra cheese, extra sauce and extra pepperoni over to her desk. "I don't know you. But I know you're going to change your mind."

"That so?" he asked.

"Hmm." She sat down at her desk, grabbed a slice of pizza and took a bite. He watched the way she licked her lips and wiped the smear of sauce from the corner of her mouth.

"We'll see."

"I suppose we will," she agreed. "Eleven tomorrow?"

"Eleven," he said with a nod, taking a step back and almost tripping over the corner of Carol's desk. Her eyes widened, and Daryl caught himself mid stumble.

"You ok there?"

"Good. I'm good," he assured her, before he turned and hurried toward the exit. He glanced back over his shoulder one more time before he stepped outside, watching as she smiled and gave a little wave in his direction.

 _Damn_ , he thought. _That's a hell of a woman._


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: This one will be short and sweet. I want to thank each and every one of you who has left feedback so far. Thanks so much for reading. I hope you enjoy the rest!_

Chapter 5

It wasn't until Carol realized she'd spent extra time in front of the mirror fixing her hair and making sure she didn't have any breakfast stuck between her teeth that she realized she had butterflies in her stomach.

She'd gotten up that morning and made breakfast that she'd pretty much pushed around her plate with her fork. She'd had a few bites and a cup of coffee, and she'd spent about five minutes pacing back and forth in the bathroom as she brushed her teeth. It occurred to her that she hadn't felt like this since her first date in high school. And she wasn't even going on a date.

 _Get a grip, Carol. He's a client, not a date._

Still, she'd caught herself smiling as she took Lucky for his morning walk. Even when she pulled out on the freeway, she was humming along to the radio. She felt foolish for getting so giddy when literally all she was going to do was take his kids' pictures, place his order and watch him walk out of her life until it was time to pick up the portraits.

Honestly, she couldn't believe she'd let herself get to hung up on some guy who had a lot of baggage, when the last thing she needed was drama after the marriage she'd just gotten out of. Still, nothing about the man screamed _DRAMA._ He seemed like a nice guy with a lot on his plate who'd been dealt a shitty hand lately. But he seemed like good dad material, and he certainly was easy on the eyes. He was a bit of a wreck when it came to juggling everything that had been thrown at him at once, but he was doing the best he could. Hell, who wasn't?

She had had a couple of early clients, but Daryl was her last appointment of the day. She planned on going for a drive after work to scope out some good places to get take photos. So, she'd brought Lucky along with her that day, figuring he'd enjoy the drive. He was definitely a travel dog. He hated being stuck at home, which was just as well, because hearing that whine broke her heart a little bit every time she had to leave him behind.

He was currently curled up on her bean bag chair, happily chewing on a bone, while she packaged up a few clients' portraits for pick up.

By the time she was finished packaging all of the portraits, it was almost eleven. Her heart began to beat a little faster. Her palms were sweating.

 _God, you're crazy!_

She had to do something to keep busy, so she went over and mounted her camera on her tripod. She played with the lighting above the backdrop.

"Lucky, come help mama." She patted her leg, and the dog raised his head before he came running. She picked up the puppy and placed him on the table. "Sit." He cocked his head to the side. "Good enough." She snapped a quick picture of him, and he barked at the flash. "Oh, look at you. So handsome." She chuckled to herself as she gave him a scratch behind the ears. "Ok, so _this_ is why Michonne thinks I need to get out and date again." She picked up the pup and cuddled him close. "Hey, I've got you. That's all I need, right?" The puppy nibbled on her finger. "Ok, so maybe I do need to get out there." She kissed the top of his head. "It's scary though. The last guy I went on a date with was Ed. Look how that turned out. Oh, that's right. You never had to meet Ed." She put him down, and he ran right back over to the bean bag chair. "What am I going to do with you?" The dog yawned and rested his head between his paws. Carol grinned and sat back down at her desk. She clicked onto her favorite social media site and scrolled through the home page feed. She got a chuckle out of a couple of photos Michonne had posted. She took a quick snap of a sleepy Lucky and uploaded it with the caption: _my lazy, photogenic Lucky._

A few minutes later, she heard the door open, followed by the clamor of little feed and the shuffling of much larger feet, followed by hushed whispers. She turned and peeked around the corner in time to get a glimpse of Daryl Dixon wearing what looked like brand new, dark denim jeans and a clean, ironed white button down shirt. His hair was brushed but still dared to fall into his eyes, and was that…yes. She could smell a hint of cologne waft in her direction.

She quirked an eyebrow and gritted her teeth to keep her jaw from dropping to her chest. When he caught her staring, she cleared her throat and pushed back in her chair, only for it to nearly topple over. She caught herself and quickly stood to make her way across the room.

"You ok?"

"Yeah. Just a little, uh, tired," she chuckled. She gasped softly when she saw the pretty white dress Charlotte was wearing. Her hair was down but hanging in loose ringlets. A cute pink ribbon was tied in her hair. Little Jack was wearing a white one piece outfit with little grey socks and a grey hat. "Look at you guys. Oh, Miss Charlie, you look beautiful." She glanced at Daryl and grinned.

"What?"

"Sorry, you just didn't strike me as the kind of guy who'd know how to fix a little girl's hair."

"I ain't," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck as his ears reddened. "Her grandma's good at that kinda stuff, even though all she raised was boys."

"Oh," Carol grinned. "Nice shirt." Daryl chewed his lip for a moment before getting Jack out of his car seat.

Little did Carol know, Daryl had bought three new shirts before going to work yesterday, and he'd spent an hour trying to decide which one he wanted to wear when he saw her again. It was his secret, and he'd take it to his grave.

"Where do you want me? Uh, us." Daryl nearly choked on his words. Carol thought about teasing him, but she bit her tongue. _When the hell did you become such a flirt, Carol Peletier?_ _Cool it a little._

She guided the little family over to the backdrop. She picked up Charlie and sat her up on the soft blanket that covered the table, and she rearranged the skirt of the little girl's dress.

"Oh, that's good," Carol grinned. "You really do look like a little princess." Charlie giggled, and Carol motioned for Daryl to stand behind Charlotte. "Here. Hold him up a little." She gently guided Daryl's arms, and he held baby Jack close, almost as if he was afraid he'd drop him. "Ok. Shoulders down. There. That looks good. More natural."

After several photos and several poses, Carol managed to get some pretty decent shots, though on more than one occasion, she'd gone over to push Daryl's hair out of his eyes. He even tried to help her by poking his lower lip out and blowing a puff of air upward in a half-hearted attempt. But, after a few mishaps and fussy children, Carol managed to get some great shots. Finally, Daryl surrendered the floor to her and let her take some shots of the kids together and separately, and when it was all over, Jack slept peacefully in his car seat, while Charlotte fed Lucky a few dog treats, giggling each time he licked her fingers.

"Silly puppy!" she laughed. Carol peeked over her shoulder and grinned before turning her attention back to the computer screen.

"Oh, see, I like this one," she said with a nod.

"I look like I'm in pain," Daryl snorted.

"No, it's cute."

"Nah. Don't like it."

"Oh, fine," Carol sighed. "But look at Charlotte. Oh, her eyes are so _blue_."

"Alright. Get that one. Her grandma'll want that one."

"See?" Carol asked.

"See what? That I'm a pushover? Shit, I ain't got a chance, do I?"

"She's already got you wrapped around her little finger. I see it." She smiled and glanced at him, noticing him looking at her. Her lower lip quivered when her heart did a jig against her ribcage. "You got kids?"

"Me?" she asked, startled by the out of the blue question. "No. My ex-husband and I tried to start a family before everything fell apart." She shook her head. "I wouldn't mind to have one or two someday. Right now, I'm just learning how to take care of _me_ again. And Lucky." Daryl nodded and grunted shortly before he absently picked at the cuticle on his thumb. He glanced back at the computer screen as Carol clicked on one of the photos of the kids together.

"That one."

"This one?"

"Yeah. For their dad. He ain't seen Charlie in so long, he probably won't recognize her. Hell, he ain't even met him." He nodded toward baby Jack.

"It's a good thing you're doing, you know? It's good they have an uncle that loves them." She clicked on the next photo.

"Just don't wanna fuck 'em up. Hell, my parents tried their best, but Merle was just bound to get himself in trouble. Didn't listen to nobody or nothin'." He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Biggest thing I'm worried about is that I'll try and do everything right and they'll still turn out like…" He looked back at Carol. "That make any sense?"

"Yeah. A lot, actually. For what it's worth, I think you're doing great so far. I mean, you're actively invested in these kids. I mean, they've had a rough start, but you're taking them to get their pictures taken. You're trying to give them a normal life. I think that's amazing." She smiled then, and he swallowed hard. His gaze locked on hers, and she felt her face grow hot.

 _Are his eyes even bluer? But his mouth. Why didn't I notice that mole before?_

When he licked his lips, she had to look away. She cleared her throat and pushed back from the desk.

"Um, I'll let you pick out the rest of your portraits. I should take Lucky out for a few minutes." She grabbed the dog's leash, wondering if he could see the sweat beading at her brow.

"Uh, no need. Think the ones we got are good enough."

"Oh," Carol said with a nod, putting the leash back down on the desk. "Alright. Well, I'll get everything set up, and I'll give you a call when everything's ready. I should have them for you by the end of the week." She tapped a button on the keyboard. "But I have something for you." She disappeared into the back before coming back cutting something out of a glossy sheet of paper. She handed it to Daryl, and when her fingers brushed over his, she felt that _thing_ again. A spark.

A wallet sized photo of him with both kids.

"Just a preview of the rest of the package," she offered with a smile.

"Thanks," he said with a nod. "Really appreciate this." She could tell he wanted to say more. She wasn't certain, but he looked as if he wanted to ask a question. He worried his bottom lip between his teeth briefly before the moment passed.

Lucky came running over, whining and letting Carol know he was ready to go out. Daryl sighed and turned his back to get the kids ready. The silence that fell between them was palpable, and the softest voice in Carol's head told her that she was going to regret it if she said nothing. Still, she let the moment pass, kept things friendly and showed her favorite clients to the door. With a smile, she told them goodbye and watched them walk to the car. Daryl glanced over his shoulder at her once before he got into the car and drove away, and Carol couldn't help the smile that pulled across her face.

 _Oh, you've got it bad._


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Carol spent the afternoon driving around the country roads miles from the bustle of busy Atlanta, with Lucky sleeping contentedly on the front seat. She managed to get in some really great shots showcasing the red Georgia soil, and she even managed to capture some beautiful cloud formations when they passed over the sun.

By dinnertime, she stopped in a little diner in Senoia with an outside patio. She took along the fence and the waitress brought out a bowl of water for Lucky. Carol placed her order, and she decided to check her messages while she waited for her order. She answered a text from Michonne before logging into her social media page. She realized she hadn't updated or checked on the _Carol's Captures_ page for a few days, so she logged in to a whole host of messages, mostly of people thanking her for her work and quick photo production. There were a few people requesting photo sessions, so she quickly added them into her planner and got back with them with a few confirmations.

She updated her page with a few example photos from families who had agreed to be featured on her page, and just before she logged out, her notifications alerted her to something new. She clicked on it only to see the following words: _Daryl Dixon liked this page._

"Oh," she murmured aloud, before glancing up to see if anyone had noticed. They hadn't, so she bit her lip and debated whether or not to click on his page. Would that seem too desperate? Maybe he had a girlfriend. He never mentioned one, and for all Carol knew, he was doing this all on his own with primarily on his own. There was one way to try and find out, and Carol's finger hovered over her phone screen for a few moments before she finally went for it.

Daryl's page was unsurprising. His profile picture was a photo of a motorcycle. He was listed as living in Georgia. His birthday was listed. He was an October baby, and he was just a year younger than her. There was no place of work listed, but she knew plenty of people who didn't post that for professional reasons.

She found herself smiling when she scrolled through some of his posts. There was a recent picture, as it showed Charlie sitting on a couch with a swaddled baby in her lap. A pretty, petite woman that looked to be in her late fifties sat with her arm around Charlie. The caption under the photo was _Grandma Dixon with Charlie and Jack._

Carol paused for a moment. She officially felt like she was intruding.

 _Ok, we haven't dated in a while, but I don't think stalking somebody's page is the way to do it._

She quickly logged out and logged back into her personal page, only to see a new notification pop up. Was it him? She held her breath when she clicked on it, only to sigh when she saw she had been tagged in a photo by Michonne. It was from a couple of weeks ago when she'd gone as Michonne's plus one to some party she'd been invited to at a hotel down town.

She tapped out a text to Michonne.

 _Help me, I'm stalking his page._

 _Who?_

 _Daryl._

 _Oh, you mean cute single-dad-uncle guy?_

 _Yes. Am I pathetic?_

 _No. I mean, come on, it's been a while for you, Carol. Do what you need to do._

 _He liked my page._

 _Oh, there's a start._

 _My business page._

 _Oh. Um, that's not really the same thing._

 _I know. God, I am bad at this._

 _Just remember, whatever happens, the next guy you meet won't be Ed. Does that help?_

 _Actually, it does. A lot. Thanks, Michonne. Love you._

 _Love you back._

Carol's food arrived a few minutes later, and the waitress even brought out a small scrap of meat for Lucky. After dinner, Carol paid and loaded the pup into the car before heading toward home.

It was dark by the time she pulled into the garage, so she let Lucky run around the fenced-in back yard for a bit before calling him in and locking the house up for the night. Once she had her shower and went over her schedule for the morning, she settled into bed, plugged her phone into the charger and grabbed her worn copy of _Denim Dreams_ off the nightstand. And she put it back down with a sigh. Even that had her mind skipping back to Daryl and how damn good he looked in those jeans and that button down shirt that morning.

 _Sex. Maybe that's what I need._

She glanced at her bedside table, knowing her favorite purple toy lay in the back of the drawer. But even that didn't sound appealing tonight.

With a frown, she grabbed her phone and pulled up some mindless game to play, hoping she'd fall tired soon enough and rest in a dreamless sleep until morning.

...

Work was slow that night, so Daryl had gotten home before midnight. His mother had been watching the kids at his place, and she'd headed home after assuring him that Jack had just had a bottle and a fresh diaper and should sleep for another few hours before waking again. Daryl offered for her to stay that night so she didn't have to drive home in the dark, but she'd insisted on going home and getting a good night's sleep, because she was going out of town for a few hours with an old friend from high school. But she assured him she'd be home in time to watch the kids so he could work.

Once she'd gone, Daryl had taken advantage of the quiet and had a quick shower. By the time he got into bed, it was after one, but the house was quiet, and he was nowhere near tired enough to sleep. So, he checked his messages. His inbox was pretty much bare except for the occasional text from his mother about when he needed her to watch the children.

He was still waiting to hear from Axel about switching shifts, but so far, it was a no go. They needed the help at night, and until they could find somebody to take that shift, they needed him. He was worn out. But mostly, he was lonely. He'd never admit it, but it was the truth.

He'd never been a relationship kind of guy. He hadn't ever been in a relationship serious enough to last more than a few weeks. His mother had always shook her head at him and told him she didn't understand why he was so picky. He was the one that usually ended things. But the truth was, he was never truly happy with any of those women. He'd been intimate with a few of them, but even then, the spark wasn't there. And he was attracted to women. He liked women. But unlike his brother Merle, he didn't just need sex to be happy. At the end of the day, he wanted more than that. And since meeting a certain blue-eyed beauty, his mind had started wandering.

He thought about her a lot. He thought about her at work when everything was crazy and noisy, and being at her studio where it was quiet sounded like the best place to be. He thought about her in the shower that morning, and while it wasn't his proudest moment, he couldn't deny the fact that she excited him. She had a fire in her that was so subtle that it lay below the surface, but he could see it in her eyes. And that smile. God, he'd never had a woman smile at him like that. A genuine smile that made his palms sweat and his heart beat a little faster.

All of this had his head spinning. He'd just met the woman a couple of days ago. And was she even interested? There had been a few moments he'd thought maybe she was flirting, but then again, he figured, she was a business woman. She had to be nice to her customers, right? He didn't want to be _that_ guy that just assumed that when a pretty woman smiled at him, she wanted something more. Besides, who the hell was he? Some guy taking care of someone else's kids and working a shitty job in a shitty bar to pay the bills? Well, she didn't know that last part, but he was sure that would be a huge turn off in the end.

Still, he couldn't help but find himself looking her up when he sighed into his account. Right there she was. Carol Peletier. Born May the year before him. Newly Professional Photographer. Loves animals. Her profile picture was a picture of her holding that puppy. Her bright, blue eyes sparkled, and her pixie-cut hair had been spiked a little. She was perfect.

 _Fuck_ , he thought, scrolling down to see a newly-tagged photo of her with somebody named Michonne. They must have been at some party, because Carol was wearing a figure-hugging little black dress that accented some very nice features.

Before he could continue perusing her page, Jack began to fuss from the other room. He quickly put his phone aside and went to tend to the little guy.

"Hey, buddy," he murmured, picking him up out of the crib. "Hey, Grandma said you just ate." He put his hand to the baby's forehead. He didn't seem to have a fever. "Just can't sleep? Yeah, me neither." He sighed and walked to the living room, sitting down on the couch and propping his feet up on the coffee table. He rocked back and forth with the baby, gently rubbing his back until his fusses turned to whimpers and then to soft breathy sighs. Then the little guy was fast asleep again, but Daryl sat there for a good twenty minutes just to make sure.

When he finally got the baby to bed, it was almost two, so he decided he probably better get some sleep. But when he crawled into bed, a faint, blue light pulsed from the corner of his phone.

With a yawn, he settled back against his pillow and checked his messages.

 _Carol Peletier has sent you a friend request._

 _Holy shit._

What the hell else was he going to do? He hit accept, and within a few minutes, a private message popped up.

 _You're up late. Long night?_

She was messaging him. _She_ was messaging _him._ He gaped at his phone for a moment before tapping out a response.

 _Actually home early. Slow night at work. Being a bartender has its perks sometimes._

He figured it was better to lay it out on the line immediately. He figured most women would just log off. Being a bartender certainly wasn't heroic or great money, and they didn't make sexy calendars of Atlanta's Finest Liquor Servers. But, hey, it was a living. But, a message popped up moments later.

 _I couldn't do that. People can be too much sometimes. Especially drunk people. You must have a lot of patience._

 _Beats taking fake happy family pictures of crappy families._

 _You have a point. ;)_

Was that a fucking winky face? Was she…was she flirting with him? She messaged him again.

 _But they're not all bad. When I actually get real families who don't try to act like everything is sunshine and bunny rabbits, the pictures feel more real. Like you and the kids._

 _Yeah, I couldn't pretend even if I had a gun to my head._

 _For what it's worth, Daryl, I think those kids are lucky to have you. I mean, they need someone, right?_

 _Guess so. I just hope I don't fuck it all up._

 _Nobody's perfect. I don't think a serial killer's parents brought their little psycho home from the hospital thinking 'gee, I think I'll raise him to be a lunatic.'_

 _I feel so much better, thanks._

 _You know what I mean. I'm saying, you do the best you can. That's all you can do. You try._

 _I'm trying._

He stared at the phone for a moment. After a couple of minutes, she hadn't responded, so he was going to try saying something else. But then she sent something else.

 _So, where do you work?_

 _Bar called Axel's. You heard of it?_

 _Can't say I have. It's around town?_

 _Yeah, down on 16_ _th_ _. Kinda shitty. But the money's good. Get a lot of rich pricks hiding from their wives. They tip pretty decent._

 _Sounds interesting. You could probably tell some stories._

Daryl squinted at his phone. Yes, he could. Did she want him to tell her a story. Why did his heart feel like it was doing the _cha cha cha_ every time a new message popped up?

 _Nah, I think I wanna hear about all the fucked up families you have to deal with._

 _Oh, please. If you had to go through the marriage and divorce I had to go through, those people wouldn't seem all that dysfunctional after all. You ever been married, Daryl?_

His mouth was dry. His palms were sweaty. He was suddenly so awake that he probably wouldn't sleep at all that night.

 _Never married. Never found anybody I liked enough to spend that much time with._

 _Ha. Well, that makes sense. Trust me, if I knew what I know now, I would have run for the hills the second he popped the question._

 _So, you don't think you'll wanna get married again?_

 _It's not on the top of my list of priorities, no. I mean, never say never, right? But Ed was a piece of work._

 _Not all men are like that. I mean, my brother's an asshole and a felon, but I mean, even he was loyal to his girlfriend when they were together, you know?_

 _Yeah, I just happened to find the nice, normal guy that turned out to be a possessive, cheating asshole. I mean, it got bad at the end. At least we didn't have kids._

A few moments passed, and Carol felt her face grow warm.

 _You know, I don't tend to spill this much about myself unless I've had a couple of drinks in me._

Daryl chuckled at that. Just like he'd spilled so much to her that day in her office, maybe she just found him easy to talk to like he did her.

 _You should stop by Axel's sometime. First time customers get their first drink on the house._

Did he really just ask her out? No. No, it was just an invitation to visit him at work. Or to visit his place of work. He didn't necessarily have to be there, right?

 _Did you just make that up, Daryl? That sounds made up._

 _Probably. Axel would probably fire my ass if I gave out free drinks._

 _LOL, I might have to swing by sometime. ;)_

There it was again. That fucking winky face that made him question everything he knew.

 _Ok._

And he covered his face with his hand. Ok? OK? This woman was very possibly flirting with him, and he couldn't even flirt back. He'd never been good at that.

 _It's late. I should probably sleep…_

Dot dot dot. He swallowed. His tongue felt huge.

 _Me too. Not really tired though…_

 _Hmm…_

Hmm? What did she mean by that? Fuck. The knot in his stomach pulled harder. He glanced at the clock. It was late, but he didn't ever want to stop talking to her.

 _You busy tomorrow?_

It was an honest question. He knew she was getting more clients and more photo sessions, and he also knew she was working on getting his photo package put together. He hadn't even meant it to sound like a suggestion of maybe them doing something, but the longer he stared at it, the more he realized that he kind of wanted it to sound that way.

 _I'm free all morning until one. I should have your pictures ready if you want to swing by._

Well, shit. That wasn't exactly where he wanted that to go.

 _Oh. No rush._

 _Ok._

He desperately wanted to see her face; to gauge her actual reaction. He grunted and leaned his head back a little too hard, hitting it against the headboard. _You suck at this, Dixon._ His phone beeped again with another message from her.

 _You like coffee, Daryl?_

 _Sure._

Frankly, he could take it or leave it, but he wanted to see where this was going.

 _Maybe we can grab a cup sometime._

 _How about tomorrow morning? It's late, and we'll both probably need it._

Daryl's face grew hot, and for a moment he thought he might throw up. He actually did it. He asked her out. Or did she? She made the suggestion. Oh, he didn't even care at that moment, because the next message from her pretty much guaranteed that he wouldn't be able to sleep one wink the rest of the night.

 _Sounds good. How about that place down the block from my studio? Say, eight thirty?_

 _Eight thirty. Sounds good._

 _It's a date then. ;)_

His breath caught in his throat, and he couldn't think of anything to say. There was so much he wanted to say and couldn't physically get out with his fingers.

 _Alright. See you then._

 _Good night, Daryl. ;)_

He put his phone away and stared into the darkness of his room. His heart was racing a mile a minute, and he couldn't concentrate on one thought long enough to process what was actually happening.

He got up out of bed and paced for a moment, trying to calm his racing heart. He felt like he was sixteen again, getting ready to go on his first date. He felt excited, nervous, happy and a little sick. He wasn't good at this kind of thing, but he was certainly willing to try if it meant seeing her.

Finally, he calmed down enough to lie back down and bury his head beneath his pillow. He was just beginning to drift off to sleep when one thought had him sitting right back up in bed, wide awake. Who the hell was going to babysit?


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"You owe me, dude. Big time." Glenn Rhee and his wife Maggie arrived at seven the next morning.

"You coulda said no," Daryl pointed out.

"How was I supposed to do that?" Glenn asked. "You picked up three shifts for me when Gabe was sick last month. Gabriel Rhee slept peacefully in his father's arms. He was about Charlie's age, and Daryl could remember trading tips with Glenn when they were both taking care of newborns. "I guess it's true what they say. Payback's a bitch."

"What he means to say is 'hey, Daryl, it's no problem. Thanks for helping me out last month, by the way.'" Maggie Rhee greeted Daryl with a sleepy smile. "Besides, he knows I'm always ready for Jack cuddles." Glenn threw a glance in Daryl's direction. Maggie had had baby fever ever since she'd first held baby Jack in her arms, and clearly, that wasn't going away anytime soon.

Glenn and Daryl had been working together at Axel's for a few years now. For Glenn, it wasn't a lifelong career. This was something to pay the bills and support his family while he looked for better work with better pay. Maggie was a registered nurse, which meant that Glenn was home with Gabe most mornings and afternoons, and then Maggie would come home and take over so he could go to work.

Honestly, Glenn and Daryl were pretty different people, but they'd become good friends over the years, and now Daryl considered them to be like family. He was grateful for the help they'd given him, and while they had their hands full with Gabe most days, they were still willing to help out when they could. Half of baby Jack's clothes were hand me downs from Gabe Rhee.

"He just ate and had a diaper change a half hour ago. He'll probably sleep the rest of the morning. I should be home by ten."

"So, it's too early for a lawyer appointment," Glenn pointed out, laying Gabe down on the couch. The little boy yawned and stretched and rolled over onto his stomach, burrowing his face against the back of the couch before falling back to sleep. "And it's too early for prison visitation." He narrowed his eyes at Daryl. Daryl rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat, and Glenn's eyes went wide.

"You met someone."

"Nah," Daryl scoffed.

"Holy shit. You…are you wearing cologne?" Glenn took a step toward Daryl, and Daryl took two steps backward.

"Glenn," Maggie scolded. "Leave him alone."

"No, but…this is _huge_. He's wearing cologne, Maggie. And, is that a new shirt."

"Fuck off," Daryl grumbled, grabbing his keys and wallet off of the coffee table. "Maggie, the pediatrician's number's on the fridge. So is my mom's cell number if I don't answer." At Glenn's smirk, he scowled. "I'll answer."

"You know what, dude? I'm off tonight. Maggie's off today. We were going to take Gabe to the zoo, but we'd be happy to take Charlie and Jack if you need some time."

"We wouldn't mind," Maggie offered. "We have room in the car, and I'm sure Charlie would love it."

"Thanks, but ya don't have to do that. I'll be home in a few hours, and…"

"So, who is she? What's her name? How'd you meet her?" Maggie asked, stepping up beside her husband and grinning at Daryl like a school girl hearing a piece of juicy gossip.

"Shit, you two are perfect for each other, ya know that?" Daryl muttered. "I'll be back in a couple hours." He turned then, before they could see the way his ears were turning read, and he grabbed his leather jacket from the coat rack and headed out to the garage. Glenn poked his head out the door and laughed.

"What?" Maggie asked, coming up behind him to place a gentle hand on his back.

"He's taking the motorcycle."

"So? He barely rides these days."

"Daryl Dixon is wearing cologne, a new shirt and riding his motorcycle. He's going _somewhere_ this early in the morning after working all night last night?"

"And?" Maggie asked with raised brows.

"And, the only thing that's going to pull a guy out of bed this early in the morning to shower and put on clean clothes is a woman."

"Or a job interview," Maggie pointed out, giving him a swat on the butt. "Leave him be. He's had a rough couple of years, you know."

"I know. It's about time, is all I'm saying," Glenn offered with a shrug before turning his head and giving his wife a kiss on the cheek.

...

Carol had just gotten out of her car when she heard the rumble of a motorcycle coming down the road. She didn't think anything of it until the motorcycle slowed as it approached and pulled in right in front of her. When she spotted the leather jacket and the sleek, black helmet, her jaw dropped. She quickly gathered her composure when Daryl got off the bike, took off his helmet and placed it on the seat.

"Well, you're just full of surprises," she said with a quirked eyebrow. "Good morning."

"Mornin'," he offered, taking in the sight of her wearing a thin, long-sleeved grey blouse that showed off her collarbones and her gorgeous, freckled chest. It hugged her in all the right places, and the dark skinny jeans she wore left just enough to the imagination that he knew he'd be dreaming about those legs and her perfect ass for days. "You, uh, you look nice." His ears were on fire.

"Thanks." She smiled. "So do you." Her stomach fluttered. Either she was nervous or she was going to throw up, but since she didn't seem to be breaking out in a sweat or running toward the nearest bush, she figured it was just her nerves.

When Daryl took off his jacket, the subtle but delicious scent of cologne hit her, and she inhaled deeply.

He opened the door for her, and he barely met her gaze when she smiled and thanked him. She saw the nervous bob of his throat as he swallowed a couple of times and fought with his tongue to get out a 'you're welcome.' Once inside, they placed their orders and found a quiet table in the back. The place was pretty busy, but it was the only coffee joint in the area. Many bleary-eyed college students dotted the window-seat booths with multiple espresso cups littering their tables. Still, their little corner was quiet, and a barista brought their cups out quickly.

Carol had ordered something with a hint of sweet caramel, and Daryl had ordered his coffee black. No cream. No sugar. When he took the first sip, he winced.

"You don't drink much coffee, do you?" she asked.

"Sure," he offered, grabbing a handful of sugar packets. Carol snorted.

"It's ok. We could have gone somewhere else. I love my coffee, but we really could have gone anywhere." Daryl dumped the packets of sugar into his coffee and stirred.

"Don't mind. I like coffee." Carol smiled a little and stirred hers with a small straw. "First thing I bought the day after Jack was born was a coffee pot. It's still sittin' in the box on my kitchen counter. Guess I thought I was gonna need it." He made a mental note to make an effort to make coffee in the morning. He certainly didn't mind having coffee with her, and maybe one of these days she might just come over for a cup at his place.

"How do you do it?" she asked, tilting her head to the side with her hands wrapped around her coffee cup. "How do you juggle two kids and work and, well, this? Getting out, meeting people?"

"Ain't really been doin' much of that last one lately," he said. With a shrug, he took another sip of coffee. "When Charlie was born, I didn't think I was gonna be the one takin' care of her. Didn't think I was gonna be the only one makin' sure she was gettin' her check-ups and or gettin' the right formula. But then it was just the way it was. My mom, she's been great. When my brother Merle went to prison this last time, it damn near broke her. But havin' Charlie helped. Then Jack was born, and she started spendin' a lot of time helpin' me so I could work. She gave up a lot to help me." He looked down at his coffee and then back up at her. "When my dad died, she didn't get out much. And Merle was a pain in the ass, only really out for himself or Nina. She's doin' good now. I just hate she has to spend so much time helpin' me with them. She raised her kids, and now she's helpin' raise Merle's. Sometimes I think she feels guilty 'bout Merle turnin' out the way he did."

"Well, look at you. She did something right. I don't think your brother's troubles can be placed on his childhood." She took a sip of coffee. "What about your dad?"

"He's been gone awhile now. He was tough on us. Always felt like I was in the middle of him and Merle. I remember wakin' up in the middle of the night once after Merle got thrown in juvie, and he was up pacin' in the kitchen. My mom was trying to talk to him, and he just kept goin' on about how there had to be somethin' he could do to help him. He put it all on himself, you know? Took the blame for how Merle was." He cleared his throat and glanced up at Carol. "Sometimes I think the stress of worryin' 'bout Merle's what finally put him in his grave." He shook his head. "He never would've said it, but sometimes I think that's what killed him. He was pullin' double shifts at work trying to earn enough to bail Merle outta jail. Ya know, I never told Merle that. Guess I thought he couldn't handle it if he knew."

"That's a lot to hold onto." Carol took another sip of her coffee and placed the cup down in front of her. "You spend a lot of time taking care of your brother, even though he can't even take care of himself." Daryl paused for a moment. She was right. And the way she was looking at him, she knew she was right, and though he didn't see pity in her eyes, he saw something more, something warmer. He felt the back of his neck grow warm when a little smile quirked at her lips. "What you're doing? It's honorable. Your mother can be proud that she raised you to be who you are."

Daryl ducked his head briefly before taking a sip of his coffee. His fingers tapped nervously against the porcelain cup. He never liked being the center of attention.

"What about you? You said you're divorced. Guess I ain't used to meetin' people our age who were married, let alone already divorced."

"Oh, do you have six hours, because this could take six hours," she chuckled. Daryl couldn't help but smile at that. Carol sighed, and she pursed her lips. "Ed was my first serious boyfriend. He was charming and sweet and was the kind of guy who brought me flowers and candy. I was naïve back then. It wasn't until after…well, you know…I realized he was being charming just to manipulate me into giving myself to him. Still, he told me he loved me, and I believed him. He had a way of reeling me back in. He would guilt me into forgiving him when he did or said something stupid. It was little things over a long period of time. Even after we were married. He had a way of making me think I'd decided something, when it had all been his idea. Looking back now, I feel stupid. I feel like maybe I didn't want to see what was really going on."

"He hurt you?" It was a bold question to ask someone he barely even knew, but out it popped, one three-word-question that had been winding up in his mind.

"No. Well, yes, but not physically. If it wasn't for my friend Michonne pretty much taking me out of that house one night when he was gone, it might have escalated to that. But his head games were bad enough. And the cheating. He got jealous and possessive. He had me feeling like the bad guy when he was the one that was screwing around." She chewed her lip for a moment. "The best thing I ever did was file those divorce papers."

"What about him?"

"As far as I know, he's still around. I have an active restraining order against him. My lawyer got me a good settlement in the divorce, not that I wanted a cent of his money. But, even I have to admit that without that, I wouldn't have my house or even _Carol's Captures_ , for that matter. I worked hard for that, but if it hadn't been for my lawyer, I might still be sleeping on Michonne's couch." She shook her head. "I was bitter and angry and kept saying how I didn't want anything from him, but at least Andrea had a level head in the matter. She took up for me. She made sure Ed didn't get out of it without giving up something. Still, I sometimes lay wide awake at night wondering when the other shoe's going to drop. He's out there somewhere, probably mad as hell that he lost control of me. Or hell, for all I know, he's moved on and doesn't care."

"Doubt that," Daryl muttered. Carol narrowed her eyes at him for a moment, and he blushed. "I mean, he don't sound like the kinda guy that forgives and forgets."

"Well, that's why I have a handy security system and a ferocious dog. Puppy. Well, he's cute and loveable now, but when he grows up, I mean, maybe he will scare off a burglar or two." At Daryl's disbelieving look, she gave him a weak smile. "I think Andrea scared him off enough. I mean, he might have connections that I don't, but I've got Andrea, and she's got the text message transcripts. Even a few voice mails that he left for me after I walked out. Pardon my French, but he knows she's got him by the balls. He won't try anything. He might be an asshole, but he's smarter than that. He has a job, and if he wants any shot at a future, he'll stay away from me."

"Shit, you oughta get a gun, take shootin' lessons. I could teach you."

"No thanks," Carol chuckled, holding her hand up. "But I appreciate the offer. I can take care of myself."

"Yeah?"

"I'm tougher than I look," she grinned. "Michonne and I took self defense classes at the Y. And I sleep with a baseball bat under my bed. I wouldn't know the first thing about using a gun."

"Like I said…I'd teach ya." Carol smiled at that and sat up a little.

"So, Daryl," she began, ready to take the focus off of herself for a minute. "Tell me more about yourself."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Neither of them realized how long they'd actually been sitting there until the barista came over for the third time to ask them if they wanted refills. They'd sat there for over two hours talking and getting to know each other, and the longer they sat there, the more relaxed they became, and when they finally got up to leave, they both lingered a little longer at the table.

Finally, they were out by his bike, and Daryl felt that awkwardness return. That tight knot in his belly pulled a little tighter, and he rocked on the balls of his feet for a moment.

She stood there with her hands in her pockets, shoulders hunched a little as a cool breeze swirled around them. She watched the wind blow his hair into his face, and she grinned, reaching out to push the hair out of his eyes.

"Thanks," he said, chuckling as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Probably time for a hair cut."

"I kinda like it."

"Yeah."

"Hmm. Yeah. A little," she teased. "Though I've never gone out with a guy with hair longer than mine."

"That what this was? A date." _Fuck. You didn't just ask the question. Shit. You did. Dumbass._

"I think when you sit there for longer than two hours, it's a date," she laughed. With a sigh, she pulled her keys from her pocket. "And I'm going to be late if I don't get going." Still, she didn't make a move to step toward her car.

"Right." He ducked his head briefly and fidgeted with his keys in his pocket. "You, uh…you wanna do this again sometime?" He watched her eyes brighten. Well, maybe it was the sunlight glinting in them, but still, she smiled.

"I'd like that." She glanced toward her car. "I really should get going. Do you think you could stop by later today?"

"You want me to come by?" Daryl asked. His tongue felt numb, and his palms were starting to sweat.

"I should have your prints done if you want to come pick them up."

"Already?"

"Yeah. It won't take me long at all."

"You're good," he said with a surprised chuckle.

"I am," she replied with a wink. _Holy shit._ Then she bit her lip, and it was the cutest fucking thing he'd ever seen. "Or you could come by now. If you didn't mind to wait, it would only take maybe an hour."

"I…yeah, I could do that." His head was swimming. She was inviting him back to her studio. While it wasn't exactly an invite back to her place, it was a start. Oh, but then reality came crashing back down. "Shit, I can't." He glanced at the time on his phone. "I gotta get home. The kids…"

"Oh," Carol said with an understanding nod. "That's ok. I'll see you in a few hours, maybe?"

"Yeah. Maybe I'll swing by tonight before I head to work."

"I'm closing up at six. Is that good for you?"

"I'll be there," he said with a nod. Carol turned toward her car, but before she climbed inside, she turned back to him.

"Thanks for the coffee," she said with a wink, before she slipped inside. He stared at her as she started the car, and he gave her a little wave as she drove off down the block. And when she was gone, he slowly sat down on his bike and let out a breath he felt like he'd been holding forever. And all he could do as he headed back toward home was count down the minutes until he could see her again.

...

He never told his mother when he was going to visit Merle, because bringing him up to her always seemed to make her eyes cloud over. He hated that. Normally he would just tell her he had to run some errands and would be back in a few hours. He loved that she lit up around the kids and had taken so happily to the role of grandma. But Merle was a sensitive subject altogether, and Daryl felt better not bringing him up around her unless they were talking about the adoption.

He didn't see Merle very often, as it was an hour and a half drive to the prison he was incarcerated at. So when his mother had come for the kids early that day, he'd told her he was going to go visit a friend before work. He had plans to stop by and get his photos from Carol after this visit, but he was pretty sure he'd be cutting it close. With traffic, he might make it back to Atlanta by 6:15 if his was lucky.

So as he sat in front of the glass window next to other visitors, he fiddled with the photo in his hand and tapped his foot anxiously on the cold, concrete floor. The second he saw Merle step in wearing that orange jumpsuit, he sat up in his chair a little.

Merle had lost weight. He looked pale and gaunt, but when he saw his brother, his face lit up. He sat down and leaned in close, grabbing the phone off the wall. Daryl mimicked this and put the phone to his ear.

"Hey bro. Didn't expect you today."

"Who the hell else you think was gonna come visit?" Daryl snapped, feeling immediately guilty after.

"Don't know. Thought ma might come by."

"She's with the kids."

"Well, maybe that's for the best, anyway," Merle shrugged. "How is everything? The kids ok?"

"They're good. Jack's not really sleepin' through the night yet, but he's healthy. Charlie's growin' like a weed. She's learnin' something new every day, it seems, but Ma's usually the one that keeps me updated on that, since I'm stuck working night shift."

"Shit," Merle muttered. "Charlie ok after everything? You know, with her mama bein' gone?"

"Charlie don't even know Nina, bro," Daryl pointed out. "To her, she's just a picture on a wall. She don't remember anything. I mean, I'll tell her about her one day, but right now, she's just a baby. She don't need to hear all that, 'specially since she ain't never gonna get to know her." He slipped the photo Carol had given him through a small slot between the glass window and the table. "Had this taken the other day. Thought you might want it."

Merle glanced down at the picture and took it in his hands. He stared at it for the longest time, a smile quirking up in the corner of his mouth.

"Charlie looks like her mama. Beautiful." He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "That's my boy?"

"Yeah." Daryl nodded.

"Damned if he didn't come out lookin' like you."

"Come on," Daryl snorted.

"No, really. Ask mama for a baby picture. Shit, if I didn't know better, I might think you were slippin' it to Nina."

"Fuck you," Daryl spat.

"Hey, I'm just yankin' your chain, baby brother. I think he's got my jaw, though. Yeah, he sure as hell is a Dixon." He glanced up at Daryl. "Thanks for bringin' me this."

"Maybe one of these days I can bring Charlie, and…"

"Don't you even think' about it. Don't want her seein' me in here. Shit, I'm gonna be in here, stuck where I ain't never gettin' out. Might be best she just not even know…"

"I ain't lyin' to her. Just 'cause this adoption's going through don't mean you ain't still her daddy. That ain't gonna change. As much of an asshole you are, as much as you don't even deserve to be their dad, that's who you are, and I ain't gonna lie to them. So don't even fuckin' go there."

Merle looked his brother square in the eye, and he leaned in close to the window.

"You listen to me. I ain't never gettin' outta here. So don't you fuckin' dare try to pretend this is temporary, like one of these days I'm gonna come home and everything is gonna be ok."

"You think that's what I'm doin'? Well, fuck you." One of the security guards absently glanced over in his direction to give him a disapproving look, so Daryl lowered his voice. "I'm the one that's been there. I'm the one raisin' your kids, takin' care of _your_ responsibilities, 'cause you fucked up your own life. You got a life sentence. Well, guess what? You ain't the only one." Daryl regretted it the second it left his mouth. Of course he didn't mean it that way. He loved those kids more than he ever thought possible. But Merle brought out the worst in him.

"If you're havin' second thoughts about the adoption."

"I ain't." Daryl gritted his teeth. "This is what's best for 'em. Truth is, some days I forget they ain't mine."

"I don't want you ever bringin' them here to see me. You understand me? You promise me you ain't never gonna bring them here."

"I can't promise that."

"You can, and you will," Merle insisted. His eyes bore into Daryl's. "You're gonna give them everything I can't, and when they ask about me, you're gonna tell 'em they don't wanna see me like that."

"They're gonna wanna meet you sometime. When they're older." Daryl eyed his brother. "You know that, right?"

"Hell, maybe by then, I'll be dead and they ain't gonna have to worry about it." A chuckle escaped his lips, but his eyes betrayed him.

"Don't talk like that. If Ma heard you talk like that, it'd kill her." Merle rubbed the back of his shaved head.

"Don't let her come see me," he murmured. "When she decides she wants to, tell her not to."

"I can't do that, bro." Merle stared at him for a moment before smirking.

"So tell me, baby bro. Any conquests since I talked to you last?" Daryl glared at him, but his gaze faltered.. "Come on now. I gotta live vicariously through you now."

"No. Ain't nobody," Daryl muttered. Merle narrowed his eyes. "Ah, I see a blush there. There _is_ somebody. Tell me about her."

"There ain't," Daryl insisted. "I gotta go. Gotta get back to work."

"Come on. I know you. You can't lie to me." Daryl shook his head and stood up.

"Gotta go. I'll send some money to your commissary next payday. Stay outta trouble, bro." He hung up the phone and turned to walk away. Merle Dixon just sat there and shook his head. Yeah, his little brother had found himself a woman. He was sure of it.

...

"Thanks for waitin'. Didn't mean to be so long." Daryl stepped into Carol's studio.

"I didn't mind to wait a little longer. I had some prints to work on, anyway." She smiled and grabbed the packet of photos off of the counter. "I hope you like them. You can check them out if you want."

"I trust ya," he offered with a little nod. "How much I owe ya?"

"Oh," she murmured. "She handed him the bill. I gave you a discount." She winked a little. "It's probably bad business, but I only do that for my cute, single clients."

"You get many of those?"

"Just one," she said with a grin.

"I can pay full like everybody else." Carol's shoulders fell, and she chuckled.

"No, I was joking, Daryl. That is the full amount."

"Oh." His face flushed pink.

"You don't do this often, do you?" Daryl ducked his head at her words. _Do what, exactly? Get flirted with by a beautiful woman, because ain't that the damn truth._ "Can I do anything else for you?"

"Do what?" He felt dumb, and his head was a little swimmy. Carol smiled at him, as she rang him up at the register. He grabbed his debit card and slid it to pay. Carol handed him his receipt, and Daryl stood there for a moment just staring at her.

"Do you want me to order more prints, or would you like a calendar? Maybe a canvas print for your wall?"

"Oh," Daryl muttered. "Uh, not right now."

"Ok," she smiled. She gently tapped her fingertips on the counter, as if she was waiting for something else. He felt the knot in his stomach pull tighter, and damn it, she looked so beautiful standing there. But he couldn't find the words or the courage to ask her the things he wanted to ask her. Instead, he cleared his throat.

"I should go. My boss is gonna have my ass for bein' so late anyway."

"Okay," she offered with a little shrug. He could have sworn he saw some disappointment in her eyes. He turned to leave, but something stopped him.

 _Don't be stupid. You like her. She might kinda like you a little bit, too._

"You work weekends?" he asked.

"What's that?" she asked. Daryl turned to look at her. "Weekends. You work?"

"Oh." Carol blinked a few times as if trying to process the question. "Sometimes. I don't have anything lined up for Saturday, though. Why?"

 _Why? Ain't it obvious, woman?_

"Well, I ain't workin' this weekend. Thought maybe you'd wanna do somethin'. I mean, if you ain't already got plans."

"I don't have plans." She bit her bottom lip, grinning through it as if she could barely contain her excitement, and god, she was gorgeous.

"Well, maybe you might want to, I don't know, go for a ride with me?"

"On your motorcycle?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe we'll work up to that one," he offered. "Been fixin' my brother's old pickup. Thought I'd take it for a test spin. You wanna come?"

"Yeah," Carol offered with a smile. "You can find a babysitter?"

"Already got one. My mom wants the kids Saturday. I think she just wants to show 'em off when she goes to the grocery store."

"Your mom's brave taking two little ones to the store," she laughed. "But I'd love to come along."

"You, uh, you want me to pick you up here?" he asked, looking around. Carol thought for a moment before taking his receipt back from him. She wrote something at the top and passed it back to him. "You can pick me up at my place that morning. Say nine?"

"Nine's fine." _Really? Is this Sesame Street?_ "I mean, good. Nine's good." Carol grinned at that.

"I'll see you then." She flashed him a smile before turning to grab her purse and her keys. "Come on. I'll walk you out."

Carol quickly set the alarm and locked the place up, and as she was walking to her car, she heard him call out to her again.

"Hey." She turned, and she saw him stuff his hands in his pockets. He stepped closer to her. "You should stop by Axel's sometime. You don't gotta drink. They actually got pretty damn good burgers. Better than most places around here."

"I might do that, Daryl. Thanks for the tip." She smiled then and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. She felt him tense, and she smiled against his skin before pulling back. "Good night."

"Night," he murmured, watching her turn and walk away. He stood there for a moment before forcing himself back to his own car. It was all he could do to not pick up the phone, call in sick and run after Carol just to spend a little more time with her.

Still, responsibility called, and he pulled away from the curb and headed toward work. As he stopped at the light on the corner, his phone buzzed. He reached for it, and he chuckle when he saw the message pop up from Carol.

 _I don't do this often, either. ;) Just so you know. I haven't dated since I met my husband._

He sat there gaping at his phone for a moment, before he answered back.

 _Guess we better help each other 'til we figure out how this is supposed to work._

 _Yeah. I think that sounds like a good idea._


	9. Chapter 9

_Author's Note: I apologize for the delay in updating. I've been horridly sick the past week or so with a virus that apparently wanted to take up residence in my lungs. I'm starting to feel better and have been able to get a chapter out for you guys. Hope you enjoy!_

Chapter 9

"Why are you canceling?" Michonne asked with an exasperated sigh. "You need to get out more. Come on…"

"I don't need to," Carol laughed. "I'm perfectly happy with my life right now."

"Does…does that mean you got laid?"

"Michonne! No!" Carol laughed and flopped down on her bed. "No. But I have plans for Saturday."

"Plans? What does that mean? Like a date?"

"Like we're going for a drive," Carol replied.

"A drive? That's it?"

"Daryl fixed up his brother's old pickup, so he's taking it for a test spin."

"Oh. _Oh."_

"What 'oh?'"

"So, you're going out for a drive with a hottie who just happens to have a big old pickup truck that may or may not break down leaving the two of you stranded in the middle of nowhere? I see where this is going."

"Oh, stop. He's sweet."

"And you said his brother's in prison?"

"Well, he's not his brother. He's very nice, Michonne."

"Well, I'll be the judge of that for myself, thanks. Nobody's good enough for my girl, and that's just the way it is."

"Says _you_ , who has a hunky cop boyfriend."

"Did you just say 'hunky?'"

"Shut up," Carol laughed. "I like him, Michonne. I do. I have a good feeling about him. And not in the way that I had a good feeling about Ed. This is different. I'm going to be careful, but I really like him."

"Well," Michonne mused, "whatever you do, please take your cell phone with you. Oh, and some pepper spray. Maybe some brass knuckles."

"Quit!" Carol groaned.

"I'm just saying. You haven't dated for a very long time. And you barely know this guy. Just be safe. Please."

"I will," Carol promised. "And I'll call you as soon as I get home if it makes you feel better."

"It would," Michonne agreed. "I don't mean to sound like the overprotective big sister, but your last relationship was traumatic for me, and I wasn't even in it. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I love you, Mich. You're the best, you know that?"

"I know," Michonne said with a sigh. "But somebody's gotta be the best, right?"

"Right," Carol laughed. "I'll talk to you tomorrow." Carol ended the call and stretched out on her bed. Lucky was lying on the foot of her bed, and he poked his head up to stare at her. "You can't possibly need to go outside again. And I just fed you." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Now don't you go worrying about me, too. I have all the worry I need coming from Michonne." Lucky perked up and bounced across the bed to lay his head on her sprawled out arm. "You are too cute for your own good, Mister." She reached over to scratch him behind the ears.

She lay there listening to the clock on the wall ticking away for what felt like an hour, and when a clap of thunder rolled through the sky above, Lucky whined and jumped off of the bed to hide underneath it.

"Some guard dog," Carol teased. She rolled to her side, and her phone buzzed. Daryl was messaging her. A smile lit up her face, and she opened the message.

 _Bad storm's coming. You ok?_

Her smile widened, and she bit her lip before tapping out a response.

 _I'm good. I love storms._

 _Me too. Always have since I was a kid. My dad hated them. He said they ruined his hunting trips._

 _I always sleep better in a storm. When I first got my license, I loved to take the car out during the big storms. There's something relaxing and exciting about driving in a storm. It used to freak my parents out._

 _My ma hates storms. She was in a tornado as a kid._

 _Well, that's understandable. Are you working?_

 _Yeah, but the storm's driving folks out and keeping them home. It's already raining pretty good on this side of town._

Carol smiled and got out of bed. She quickly went downstairs, disabled the alarm and opened up the back door that led to the patio. She stood under the awning and watched as bolts of lightning branched and reached across the sky. She grabbed her phone.

 _It's about to pour any second here. I can smell it in the air._

 _You should come hunting with me sometime._

 _No thanks. LOL_

 _Why not?_

 _It's not for me. Now camping I could get behind. Never been._

 _Never?_

 _Nope. My parents were older. We took vacations, but we never really did the camping thing._

 _Interesting._

 _Interesting, how, Daryl Dixon?_

 _Just interesting. Good to know for future references._

 _You're thinking about the future already? My, we're moving a little fast. ;)_

 _Just planning. Best see how tomorrow goes first, huh?_

Carol grinned down at her phone, and another roll of thunder shook the house. 

_You have a break soon?_

 _Goin' out in a few minutes. Why?_

 _I'm up for a while. You could call me._

She winced as soon as she sent it. She didn't want to sound needy. There was nothing wrong with texting. But there was also nothing wrong with hearing someone's voice. She knew she felt a little bolder when she texted. It wasn't like actually speaking or looking at the person she was talking to. But she didn't want to be that person that seemed one way but acted another in person. She needed to step outside of her comfort zone. She'd already done that more than she'd expected just since meeting him. She'd surprised herself with some of the things that had come out of her mouth. Sometimes it felt as if someone else was speaking. She'd been so quiet with Ed. He hadn't been one for public displays of affection unless he felt threatened by another male presence. Carol had molded her behavior over the years on what Ed liked, what wouldn't piss Ed off and make him guilt trip her all the way home.

Before she had a chance to backtrack on that text, her phone chimed in her hand. Her heart started hammering against her chest. Her blood pulsed in her ears. She felt dizzy and nauseated and giddy at the same time.

"H—hello?" _You know who's calling, dummy._

"Any rain yet?" _Yeah, let's talk about the weather. Good start. Safe._

"Just lightning and thunder. The wind's picking up." She could hear a static-like buzz in the background that she understood was rain. "Are you outside?"

"Yeah, but I got a roof over my head," he promised. "It's pourin' here." He let out a slow breath. "Smoke break."

"You smoke?" She sounded surprised.

"Not all the time. Not around the kids. Just at work sometimes. Been tryin' to quit. Cut back from two packs a day to maybe three cigarettes a night."

"That's impressive," Carol offered. "My ex husband was a smoker. He had his weird rules, though. He wouldn't smoke in the house, but in the car in winter with the windows rolled up was apparently just fine."

"What a dick," Daryl snorted.

"You're telling me," Carol muttered. She shivered as the breeze turned cooler, and she stepped back inside, setting the alarm.

"What was that?" Daryl asked.

"Huh?"

"The beeping."

"Oh. My security system. I, uh, I feel better having it." She flipped the latch on her door, and the entire kitchen illuminated briefly with another flash of lightening outside.

"You don't think he'd try comin' back around do you?"

"I want to say no," Carol said quietly, padding into the living room and sitting down on the sofa. "He turned into someone I didn't even recognize when I left him. My friend Michonne worries, but I always act like everything's fine. It has been. But there's a small part of me that does worry he'll be sitting there some night and get angry about the past. It's not out of the realm of possibilities. I was married to the guy for five years. I know a little something about him." She tucked her feet up under her.

"So your folks…they know how Ed was?"

"They're gone. They've been gone since before I met Ed," Carol said quietly.

"Sorry," Daryl murmured.

"It's ok. I miss them a lot, and I wish I'd had them around longer. Maybe they would have seen through Ed before I made the mistake of marrying him." Another flash of lightening lit up the house. "I hope the weather clears up before our drive tomorrow."

"Thought you liked drivin' in the rain."

"I do," she chuckled. "Don't get me wrong. But I'd like to bring my camera along, if that's ok." She chewed her lip.

"Don't you ever get a day off?"

"Hey, it's not really always work. It's fun. And I like to have my camera ready just in case."

"You waitin' on Bigfoot or somethin'?"

"No," she laughed. "But you never know when you might find something worth taking a picture of." She paused. "Everything has it's photographic qualities."

"Everything?" Daryl asked with a snort.

"Well, maybe not everything. Then again, there's always an audience for something." She smiled then at the sound of his chuckle. It was easy and light, and it made her heart beat a little faster. She could hear some chatter on the other line, followed by the shuffle of the phone. "Break's over?"

"Shit. Yeah. We just had a car load of guys come in."

"Have fun," she grinned. "Don't work too hard."

"Yeah," he muttered. "See you in the mornin'?"

"Yeah. See you in the morning. Be careful going home. It's coming down pretty good. Might be some flooding."

"Yeah, I got short cuts."

"Of course you do," she laughed. "You probably don't even need GPS."

"Nah. I figure, you keep movin', you're bound to find somethin'."

"True," she laughed. "Bye, Daryl."

"Bye."

Carol ended the call and headed upstairs to bed. Once settled back snugly against her pillows, she pulled up her profile and began to type.

 _They say good things are worth the wait. I think I'm starting to believe that_. She posted a heart next to her words and turned off her phone. It wasn't long before she was fast asleep with just the hint of a smile on her lips.

...

"Charlie, where's your other shoe?" Daryl asked, searching under the princess-print ruffle of the toddler bed.

"Doggy ate it," she giggled.

"We don't have a doggy," Daryl pointed out, as Charlie bounced on the bed. She was dressed all except for one rogue shoe, and Daryl had looked high and low. He'd even looked in Jack's crib just in case Charlie had decided to share with her little brother. "It was in your closet last night. Did you move it?"

"No," Charlie insisted with a giggle, covering her face with her chubby hands. Daryl sighed. She was going through a phase where she liked to hide things, and normally it was cute, but Grandma was on her way, and he was supposed to pick up Carol in thirty minutes.

"Charlie, please. Help me find your shoe?"

"Doggy ate it, Dada." Daryl paused for a minute. He knew she wasn't calling him her father. He knew she simply had problems saying 'Daryl,' but this morning, it struck him. He was the only father-figure this child was going to grow up with, and while he felt a pang of guilt every time he saw or spoke to Merle, he couldn't help the warmth that flooded over him when that little girl looked up at him with those sweet baby blues and called him 'Dada.'

"Doggy didn't eat it. We don't have a doggy, Charlie. Now come help me find your shoe." His voice was stern, even. He hated getting tough with her, because she was actually a pretty well behaved toddler. When her lower lip poked out, he sighed. "Come on, Charlie. Give me a hint."

"Doggy." He groaned.

"Ok. Doggy." He started sorting through the stuffed animals piled on her bed, and it was as he was mid-fluff pile that he remembered the giant stuffed dog he'd won for her at the spring street fair in Senoia. He hadn't had any room for the thing, so they'd stuck it in her closet for storage.

Charlie started shrieking with giggles when Daryl opened the closet and found Charlie's shoe wedged between the giant stuffed animal's paws.

"Very funny, Charlie."

"I got you!" she laughed. He sighed and shook his head. "What kinda TV is Grandma lettin' you watch, huh?" He helped Charlie slip on her shoe, and then he picked her up and carried her to the living room. "I still hungry."

"You're still hungry?" he asked with a sigh. "You had a bowl of oatmeal and some grapes. You want some milk?"

"I want s'ghetti."

"Not for breakfast, Charlie."

"But…" He was saved by the sound of gravel crackling under the tires of his mother's car.

"Look, Charlie. Grandma's here."

"Gramma!" Charlie clapped excitedly and hurried over to the front door. Daryl gently picked up a sleeping Jack from the baby swing by the TV and buckled him in his car seat. He made sure there was plenty of formula and diapers in the diaper bag as well as a couple of changes of clothes, just in case. He was slowly getting back into this routine. Some days he was more on the ball than others.

He walked over to open the door and let his mother in. She immediately scooped up her granddaughter and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"How's my girl? Oh, I swear she's grown two inches since yesterday."

"Ma, you sure you wanna do this? Charlie's a handful this mornin'."

"I'm sure," she insisted, giving her son a hug with her free arm and kissing him on the cheek. "Oh, you smell good. Did you…" She put her hand on his cheek. "You shaved."

"Ma," he groaned.

"And just a little splash of cologne. Is that a new shirt?"

"Ain't I allowed to be clean? Christ, Ma."

"Hey," she warned, "I'm not complaining. It's nice to see you without formula stains on your jeans. I haven't seen you with a bare face in months. You look like the boy I remember." His face reddened, and he rubbed his jaw. Maybe shaving wasn't the best idea. Maybe Carol preferred the scruffy look. Hell, by tomorrow morning, he'd have some stubble again, but what was wrong with a man wanting a clean shave for a change? "So, who is she?"

"What?" He almost choked on his tongue. "Ma…"

"You're not going to work, so who's the girl you're getting all spruced up for?"

"Ma, it ain't like that."

"You realize I'm the woman that birthed and raised you. I'm the woman that caught you with in the kitchen in the middle of the night with your hand in the jelly jar. You just looked up at me with those sweet, innocent blue eyes and say 'it was Merle, mama!' You can't lie to me, Daryl."

"Let me help you get the kids in the car," Daryl grumbled, grabbing Jack's car seat. "You wanna grab Charlie's car seat? Got it sittin' by the couch." He nodded to the corner and slung the diaper bag over his shoulder. Mary shook her head at him but grabbed it and followed him outside. Charlie skipped along between them.

"I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to embarrass you. I know you've always been shy about these kinds of things." Daryl's face reddened even more. "There's nothing wrong with that. I'm forever grateful you didn't turn out like your brother." She chewed her lip and shook her head as she struggled to get Charlie's car seat strapped into the back of her own car. She paused and looked at him as he strapped Jack's seat in. "I'm proud of you, Daryl. I can sleep at night knowing that I raised a man that some woman will be very lucky to call her husband someday."

Mary lifted Charlie into the car and got her buckled into her seat, and once the kids were ready to go, she moved around to give her son a hug.

"Is she pretty." Daryl sighed and bowed his head for a moment. Finally, he looked up at her, and he gave a little nod.

"She's beautiful, Ma."

"Well, good. Don't mess it up." At Daryl's scowl, she gave him a grin. "Hey, your father wasn't overly romantic. Believe me, I had to squint pretty hard to see the romance in some of his actions. But he tried, dear. I know he loved me." She stood back and shook her head. "You're not even thirty yet, you're raising two children, and you're working full time to pay the bills and take care of them. It's ok to be happy about going on a date, if that's what this is. You deserve a little time, Daryl. You deserve some happiness. And I'm not just saying that because I'm your mother. I'm saying that because it's about time you stop letting yourself just be Merle's fill-in. You're not him, and you shouldn't ever try to be."

She cleared her throat and slid into her car.

"What time you bringing them by?"

"There's no hurry. Just call me when you're home." She gave him a little wave, and he waved back.

"Thanks, Ma."

"Don't thank me. Just show that girl a good time. And be careful." Daryl winced. "Oh, get your mind out of the gutter. You Dixon men…" She sighed and shook her head with exasperation before she winked at him and backed out of the drive.

Finally, he was standing alone with his keys in one sweaty hand, and he suddenly felt more nervous than he'd felt in a very long time. He tapped out a quick message to Carol on his phone, letting her know he was on his way, and when she replied with an immediate _I'm ready_ , his heart beat a little faster in his chest. He was more than ready, but _God_ , he was hoping for the best. This finally felt like a glimmer of hope, a chance of happiness, and the last thing he wanted to do was mess it all up.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

By the time she heard that old pickup truck pull into her driveway, Carol had changed clothes about three times. She'd never been the kind of woman to fret over what she was wearing or how she should do her makeup or hair. Thankfully since she'd cut her hair short, all she had to do was get it damp, style it by running her fingers through it to style it with a little gel on her fingers.

She never was much one for makeup, but she did put on a touch. She hadn't worn makeup with Ed, and he never liked her to wear it anyway. He always said it made her look fake. She had made a point over the course of their marriage to subtly do her makeup from time to time to see if he would notice, and he never really did.

It was early fall, but Atlanta still felt like summer, so she opted for a pale blue tank top that showcased her freckled collarbones, and, she had to admit, just a little hint of cleavage. She wore a pair of black Capri pants and found her favorite comfy flats.

She had taken Lucky for an early walk and made sure he was fed and settled down with a new bone to keep him occupied for a few hours.

When her doorbell rang, she jumped even though she knew he was there. Her nerves were a jumbled wreck this morning, and it was all she could do to keep from flying to the front door a panting, sweating mess.

Instead, she managed to calmly walk to the door, and when she opened it up, she came face to face with a freshly-shaven Daryl Dixon who looked about as nervous as she felt.

"Hey," she managed to squeak out cheerfully. "You found me."

"Traffic wasn't too bad this mornin'."

"Good. You wanna come in for a minute? I promise, I'm ready, but I need to throw the laundry in the dryer."

"Sure." He stepped into the foyer, and he looked around. "Nice place."

"Thank you. It's enough for me." She closed the door, and she giggled when Lucky came bounding into the room. He wagged his tail and stood up on his hind legs, begging for Daryl to pick him up. "Sorry about him." Daryl chuckled and picked up the pup, who promptly licked him on the side of the face. "He loves people. Some guard dog, huh?"

"Always wanted a dog like this," Daryl noted, scratching the pup behind the ears. "They're loyal." He put the pup down, and Lucky scampered off to the kitchen. Daryl followed Carol back to the small laundry room behind the kitchen. "You got a lot of room here. You could do a lot with the place."

"Yeah. Maybe someday. There's room if I ever wanted more, you know." She eyed him. "I might get a cat." She grinned, and Daryl felt his face tingle. Shit, she was beautiful.

"I need a bigger place. The kids are kinda takin' over my place. It's big enough, but I think we need to spread out."

"Just wait until Charlie's a teenager. She'll probably need two whole closets for her clothes. Or maybe you'll luck out and she won't be into those things."

"Hope so," he snorted, "but she likes me to brush her hair, and she's already askin' my mom to do her makeup. I'm in trouble, ain't I?"

"I think so," Carol laughed, tossing the load of wet clothes from the washer into the dryer. She started it up and turned toward Daryl. "Ok, I'm ready now."

"You hungry?"

"Mmm, I could eat," she offered. "Did you have breakfast?"

"Between feedin' Jack and makin' Charlie eat her oatmeal, I forgot."

"You forgot to eat?" She quirked an eyebrow.

"It happens sometimes," he admitted. Carol pouted her lips for a moment before she nodded toward the kitchen.

"Follow me."

"What?"

"I'm making you breakfast."

"Ain't I s'posed to do the buyin'?"

"This one's on me," she offered. "But I might let you buy me lunch." She moved to step around Daryl toward the stove, but he caught her wrist in his hand, a bold move in his own mind. He quickly let her go.

"You ain't gotta cook for me," he promised. "I grabbed a granola bar on the way out the door."

"Liar," she laughed. "Besides, something tells me you haven't had a home cooked meal since, what, maybe the last time you visited your mother for dinner?" Daryl glared at her for a moment, before a smile quirked at his lips.

"You don't know me," he snorted.

"Come on. You spend all of your mornings taking care of everybody else," she pointed out. "Let me do this. I like to cook. It helps me relax."

"You nervous?"

"I haven't been on a date in a long time," she admitted.

"This is a date?"

"Well, my hands are shaking, and you shaved, so I'm pretty sure it's a date," she laughed. Daryl chuckled at that.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"You? You want to cook?"

"My mama taught me a thing or two," he insisted.

"Fine," she said with a grin. "You do the eggs. I'll do the bacon. There's a spare apron over there. Wouldn't want you to get grease on your new shirt." Daryl looked down at his shirt and shook his head.

"Is it that obvious?"

"You, uh, missed a sticker." She reached down and pulled a price sticker off of the edge of his shirt.

"Shit," Daryl muttered, palming his face with his hand. "Rookie mistake."

"It's ok. It looks good on you." She gave him a smile and turned toward the fridge to grab what they needed.

...

"Ya really didn't have to do that."

"I didn't. We did. And it turned out good, didn't it?" Carol asked, setting the alarm and locking the front door.

"It was," he offered. "Didn't know bacon could taste so good."

"It's just…bacon. I didn't do anything special," she laughed.

"Hell, growin' up, I was lucky to get a fresh piece of bacon. Merle was usually on his second helping before I got to the table." Carol grinned at that.

"Well, you should see what I can do with a pot roast. It's out of this world," she teased. "See, that was better than going to a smoky diner and waiting on cold food, wasn't it?"

"Your ma teach you to cook?"

"Yeah," Carol said with a warm smile. "We cooked together every weekend morning. My dad always told me I cooked better than my mother, but he swore me to secrecy."

"My ma never had a girl, so I guess I was the one that got stuck learnin' that stuff."

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with a man learning how to cook. Do you know how many women would love to have a guy cook her breakfast in bed? Or how many women would love to come home to find a hot meal ready for them? I mean, 'good cook' is right up there with 'handsome and funny' on the checklist."

"There's a checklist?"

"Oh, there's a checklist. Ask any woman, and she'll deny it though." She winked at him as they walked to the truck. Daryl felt his heart skip a beat. He noticed her pulling the strap of her camera bag up her shoulder a little.

"You want me to carry that?" He reached out for it, but the swing of his hand saw his keys go flying into the bushes.

"Uh, I've got it, thanks," she grinned, as his face flushed red. He quickly reached into the bush to grab his keys where they caught on a small branch, and he opened up the passenger's side door of the big, black pickup truck. "It's big."

"Yeah. Merle wouldn't drive nothin' smaller," Daryl snorted. Carol put her camera bag in first, and she grabbed hold of a small handle by the seat and stepped up. Daryl gently put his hand at her back and helped her up. She smiled her thanks and tugged on her seat belt.

Daryl hopped in and started the truck up. It shimmied and sputtered for a moment before it was purring like a kitten.

The cab was roomy. One could easily pull over on the side of the road and take a nap with their feet sticking out the window with no trouble. The steering wheel was back far enough that Daryl had to reach out to grab it.

"What's one guy need with a truck this big?" Carol asked, peeking over her shoulder into the back of the truck where a couple of tool boxes were covered with a tarp to keep them from rusting in the rain.

"Hell if I know. Figured he'd sell it when Nina got pregnant with Charlie, but he couldn't even part with it. If I can get it fixed up, I might try to sell it." He shrugged. "It didn't break down on the way here, and it's runnin' pretty good. Don't think we're gonna have a problem today. Would've brought my bike as backup if I was worried."

"Don't speak too soon," she laughed.

"Hey, you sayin' you don't trust my skills?"

"Oh, I'm sure you have skills," she replied, not intending for it to sound as suggestive as it did. They both looked at each other for a moment before she laughed nervously. "Just drive, Daryl."

"Yeah, probably a good idea," he snorted. "Which way you wanna go?"

"Seriously?" Carol asked.

"Yeah. Pick a direction. You're navigatin' this. I'm just drivin'."

"Oh," Carol murmured, suddenly feeling very inspired. She bit her lip and thought for a moment before she nodded toward the road. Turn right. At the light down the block, make a left."

"Where we headin'?"

"Anywhere," she said with a smile. "You game?" He stared at her for a moment before throwing the truck in gear. With a nod, he cleared his throat.

"Yeah. I'm game."

...

They drove for nearly two hours, Carol picking the direction, feeling more than a little cautious of where she told him to turn for fear of getting completely turned around. Still, she knew in the back of her mind that GPS was just a few taps away on her phone. Still, what if her service went out? What if the truck really did break down?

She had to take a few deep breaths now and again to calm herself. She kept telling herself to relax, to enjoy, to just embrace the adventure. Every once in a while, he'd look over at her, and she was certain he could see the anxiety building up. So, he'd start talking to her to take her mind off of it. And by the time they turned down a twisting road that was shadowed by thick, overgrown trees, Carol somehow felt more relaxed in the isolation as the sunlight glittered down in small patches through the leaves onto the concrete below.

A small, rusted sign that read _Picnic Area_ with an arrow came into view. Daryl turned down that road, and it wasn't long before they drove up to an old gravel lot grown over with tall grass and weeds. A small lake—small enough that it probably wasn't even considered a lake—spilled out before them, shimmering in the morning sun. An old, rickety pier with a small row boat tied to it creaked in the breeze.

"I wonder what this place is?" Carol murmured, as Daryl cut the engine to the truck. She started to grab for her camera bag but hesitated, looking up at Daryl. She put her hand back in her lap.

"S'alright," he chuckled. "Go on."

"Do you know where we are?" she asked, grabbing the camera and hopping out of the truck.

"Nope. Don't look like nobody's been here for a long while." All that surrounded the water was thick pine forests. Some old, discarded water toys lay in a moldy pile on top of a long-forgotten trash bin next to a couple of bird-shit covered picnic tables.

"Somebody should clean this place up," Carol murmured. "It could be really nice." She bit her bottom lip and slung her camera strap around her neck, tossing the case into the truck. She went about snapping pictures of the tall grass, the old, rickety dock, the little row boat with a broken paddle on the seat.

"Could be a good fishin' place," Daryl pointed out. "Looks like nobody comes around. Probably plenty of fish." He knelt down by the water and cupped a handful of it. He held it up to his nose and sniffed. "Clean, too. Looks like it's just been forgot about."

"That's sad," Carol murmured, snapping a picture of the old trash bin with the discarded and decaying water toys.

"You take pictures of everything?" Daryl asked. Carol hummed softly and shrugged her shoulders.

"I guess it's sentimental, really. I mean, this place? Nobody's been here for a long time. It should be seen. People could have a lot of fun out here.

"You're right. Somebody should fix it up," Daryl said with a nod. "Hey, check this out." He knelt down in the grass. Something had caught his eye, and as he lifted it up, he realized what it was. Carol stepped in closer.

"A ring," Carol murmured. "Somebody's probably been looking for that."

"It's been here a long time," he murmured, scraping dirt off the side to reveal a dull sliver underneath. He heard the shutter click, and he glanced at Carol. "Really?"

"What?" Carol asked. "Look." She showed him the image on the camera screen. It was black and white. The small, dirt-encrusted ring lay in his palm, his own fingers dirty from digging it up. As crazy as it seemed, there was a beauty in the picture.

"Like you said," he muttered, "there's an audience for everything." Carol grinned at that.

"You remembered?" Daryl managed to scrape some more dirt off of the ring. He was certain there were some gem inlays, but he wouldn't know for sure until he got it home and cleaned it. If anything, he could chalk it up to an interesting find, maybe something Charlie might like to wear when she got older.

He heard the shutter click again, and this time, when he looked up, she was pointing the camera up at him.

"Aw, shit."

"Oh, come on. You're very photogenic." She batted her eyelashes at him. He glared at her, and that made her grin even more. She smiled then, and Daryl walked toward her.

"Gimme the camera."

"Hey! No, wait a minute."

"You're always takin' pictures of everybody else. Maybe somebody should take your picture." The grin on his face was full of mischief.

"Don't you dare, Daryl Dixon." She stepped back and Daryl stepped forward. "Please. Come on. That's not fair."

"Delete the picture."

"No!" she laughed.

"Then let me take yours."

"Oh. Fine!" she laughed, passing it over to him. "Just don't break it. That camera's worth more than that old truck of yours."

"Well, that ain't sayin' much," Daryl snorted. Carol laughed again. "How do ya work this damn thing?"

"Point and push the button on top."

"This one?" he asked.

"Yeah," she giggled. He pushed the button, and nothing happened.

"C'mon. Which one?"

"Fine," she sighed, cheeks blushing red. "This one." She tapped the button on the camera, and then she took several steps backward.

"Careful. Don't wanna have to jump in the water after ya."

"I can swim," she assured him.

"Well, I can't, so I ain't fixin' to learn today."

"You? Mr. Outdoors? You don't swim?"

"I learned to hunt, fish. My dad wanted his boys prepared to survive in the wild."

"So you could survive a zombie apocalypse as long as it wasn't on water," Carol teased.

"A what?" Daryl snorted. Carol laughed and then fell backwards onto her butt." "Shit. You ok?"

"I'm good," she laughed, covering her face with her hands. "Just clumsy." She was wiping at her eyes now, and she heard the shutter click. "Did you just…aw, Daryl, come on. I wasn't ready."

"Now we're even," he replied with a grin, snapping another picture of her. She held her hand up to block the camera, but he managed to move back and get another shot of her.

"You ass!" she laughed, getting up and chasing after him. "Give me my damn camera, before I toss you in the water."

"You gonna jump in to save me or the camera?" he asked. He almost tripped himself, but he steadied himself against a picnic table. Carol caught up to him, and she took the camera back from him. For a moment, he thought maybe she was mad. Maybe he'd gone too far. Hell, he was never good with the whole flirting thing. If that was even what he was doing. Shit. She did look mad. She turned and started back for the truck. "Shit. Carol, I didn't break it or nothin' did I?" She spun in her spot, and the shutter clicked again. Then a massive grin spread over her face.

"Oh, that's one to go over the mantle." Her tongue poked out of the corner of her mouth, and Daryl's shoulders slumped.

"You got me," he smirked.

"Here, let me put this away. Then we can explore," she offered brightly. He watched her as she headed to the truck to put the camera away. She had a dusty smudge of dirt on her left butt cheek from where she'd fallen, and it was taking everything in him to push down the first thought that came to his mind. _Maybe you oughta offer to get that off for her._

He stared a little too long, and when she turned, she narrowed her eyes at him.

"What?" she asked, her face still flushed from laughing.

"Uh, nothin'. You, just…uh. Got somethin' on your…" He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, and Carol twisted a little to try to look before quickly swiping her hands over her behind to try to get the dirt off. She turned a little.

"Is it gone?"

 _She wants me to look? Christ._

"Uh, yeah. Looks good. I mean…you're good." He cleared his throat, and Carol smiled, shutting the truck door and heading back toward him.

"Good," she beamed. "Come on." She nodded toward the trees. "We can take the long way. You're the woodsman, aren't you?"

"Ain't been in these woods," he pointed out.

"Well, there's a first time for everything, right?" she asked, licking her lips in a way that made him think about things he really didn't need to be thinking about when he wasn't in the sweet privacy of his own bedroom.

Clearing his throat, he locked up the truck, and when he turned, she was right there, right in front of him, and his adam's apple bobbed in his throat.

"You ready?" she asked. His mouth went dry.

"Uh-huh," was all he could manage. Carol smiled then, that beautiful smile that made his heart warm. And a moment later, her sweating, shaking hand found his, and they both looked at one another.

"Better stay close," she offered nervously, her smile twitching slightly as she stepped past her own comfort zone.

"Yeah," he agreed, giving her hand a squeeze. "Better safe than sorry." She smiled at that, and he silently thanked whatever higher powers had led him to her. He was just grateful that she was trembling as much as he was. He was more grateful that she had the courage to push herself to take that step.

Her hand felt good in his, and within a few minutes, neither of them were shaking. They fell into a comfortable silence as they stepped into the trees, and he was pretty sure that she held his hand just a little bit tighter. And he liked that just fine.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Not once?" she asked softly, as they slowly ambled along the tree line, staying close enough to the edge of the forest that they could still hear the ripple of water on the breeze.

"Nope," he replied with a shake of his head.

"You never got lost in the woods?" Daryl shook his head.

"I couldn't have been more'n four years old. My daddy walked us deep in the woods, put a compass in my hand, patted my shoulder and said 'lead us back, Daryl.' And I did. Took a few wrong turns, but he never said a word. He taught me how to use that compass, how to read a trail, things to look for. Didn't get home 'til real late, and my mama was madder than hell, but I tell ya, I think that was the proudest my dad ever was of me."

"Didn't Merle go?"

"He tried with Merle. Merle could do all the things I could, but I guess I just picked 'em up faster, better." He shrugged. "Guess bein' the little brother, I always tried to do one better'n him, and he got tired of it. He still came with us sometimes, but when I got older, it was mostly me and dad." A hawk screeched somewhere nearby, and Carol jumped, giving Daryl's hand a hard squeeze.

"Just a hawk. Ain't gonna bother ya."

"Sorry. I'm really not a coward."

"Didn't say you were," Daryl chuckled. "Woods ain't for everybody."

"Definitely not for me," Carol muttered with an eye roll.

"Didn't say that neither. You just ain't used to 'em is all. Gonna have to fix that." Carol pursed her lips for a moment and crinkled her nose.

"I think you just want someone to take camping that'll make you bacon in the morning." Daryl snorted at that. "You bring a lot of girls to the woods, Daryl?" Daryl eyed her. "Come on. I've told you about my failed marriage and my less than stable ex-husband. Any skeletons in your closet?"

"Told ya I ain't been married."

"You don't have to be married to love someone," Carol pointed out, giving his hand a little squeeze.

"Love," Daryl murmured. The word tasted funny in his mouth. "S'pose I ain't never loved nobody before. I mean, I ain't a virgin if that's what you're askin'." Carol felt her cheeks grow hot when Daryl looked over at her. His own cheeks were a little red, too. "Had a few girlfriends, but nothin' ever lasted. Hell, I figure marriage ain't for everybody."

"It wasn't for me. Not that time, anyway." Carol chewed her lip. "You know, for a long time, I was afraid to leave Ed, just because I was afraid of what people would think. Divorced and not even thirty? The scandal!" She rolled her eyes. "You know, these are supposed to be the best years of our lives. You live, and sometimes you lose. But you get back up and keep living." Daryl glanced at her. "Oh yeah. A _lot_ of therapy time after Ed. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure that was a quote my counselor had on her wall." She sighed softly.

"He really messed with you, didn't he?"

"Yeah," she murmured. "You know, looking back, I can see why I fell for him. But at the same time, I feel like I'm looking through a window at a girl I don't even recognize, shouting to deaf ears to run for the hills. If I had the chance to do it over, I'd have run and never looked back. Love and loss. The good thing is that I know who I am, and I know I'm stronger now. I know that I'm in a different place than I was a year ago, and even though the idea of seeing Ed again scares me, I know that I can walk away and be confident that I made the best decision for myself. It was a toxic marriage. I didn't think I could ever trust anyone again." She looked at him and smiled. "But here I am."

"Here you are. What made ya wanna come today?"

"Maybe I just liked the way you looked that day when you walked in with your ripped jeans looking desperate for help." Daryl snorted. "I thought you were handsome. You seemed like a good guy. And I guess that last little part of me that was terrified of moving on finally let go and said 'live a little.' Besides, my parents were married for almost thirty years. It worked for them. Not every marriage is a disaster waiting to happen." She shrugged. "So, you never even got close with any of your girlfriends? Marriage close?"

"Naw," he snorted. "Not even close. Wasn't never serious about nobody. Then everything happened with Merle and Nina, and Charlie came along, and I guess I just spent all my time tryin' to make sure I didn't screw things up for her that I ain't really thought much about findin' someone. I guess I didn't think I needed to try. Figured takin' care of Charlie, then of course Jack, was what I had to do. The rest would work itself out later."

"But you're here now. You're trying, aren't you?" She blushed at her own words but smiled when he nodded. "I guess we both are, huh?" Carol looked up at him as they walked, and he licked his lips. His heart beat a little faster in his chest.

"Yeah. Guess so," he murmured. Carol's phone buzzed in her back pocket, and she groaned.

"Sorry. I meant to leave that in the car."

"It's ok. You need to check it?"

"No. It's ok. I…" Her phone buzzed again. "Ok, maybe I do." She sighed when Daryl let go of her hand, and she grabbed her phone. She checked her messages and smirked.

 _Ok, so I haven't heard from you. Are you ok?_

 _I'm starting to worry that you've slipped into the plot of a very bad horror movie. And I'm definitely not driving out in the middle of nowhere to find you. I love you, but I know how those movies are. The well-meaning friend is usually the first to go._

"It's just Michonne. She's worried I haven't texted her." She glanced up at Daryl. "She's worried that I went out for a drive in an old truck with a stranger. I'm pretty sure she's think I've lost my senses." She tapped out a message to Michonne.

 _I'm fine. We're having fun. I'll call you tonight._

A few moments later, the phone buzzed again.

 _How do I know this is Carol talking? You could be some psycho killer that's stolen her phone. Quick. Take a selfie and send it to me._

"Oh for crying out loud," Carol muttered.

"What?" Daryl asked, furrowing his brow.

"Humor me for a moment," she muttered, rolling her eyes. She held her arm out and took a quick selfie with the water's edge just visible behind the trees.

"What's that about?"

"Just appeasing my friend so she doesn't send out a search party," she chuckled. Her phone buzzed moments later.

 _You're in the woods? Who are you and where have you taken Carol?_

 _Oh, shut up, Mich. We're exploring._

 _Ooh, sounds sexy._

 _Shut up. Love you._

"She just worries about me. I mean, I get it. She's been there through the worst of it. I'm lucky to have a friend like her."

Carol put her phone away, and she wrapped her arms around herself as they continued walking.

"You cold?" he asked.

"I'm ok. It's just a little chilly in the shade." She smiled when he walked up behind her and briskly ran his hands up and down her arms. "Getting warmer." His hands were warm, and his touch sent a spark right through her. They stood that way for a moment, and she bowed her head, relishing the feel of his touch, the way it had her heart beating a little faster, the way her blood seemed to run a little hotter. She was suddenly _very_ warm, and sweat began to bead at her brow.

He noticed the rise and fall of her shoulders quickened a little, and he swallowed hard and stopped touching her. For a moment, he stood there staring at the back of her neck, and when she turned and looked up at him, he felt his own blood begin to simmer.

"You good?"

"Yes. Thank you," she offered with a smile. Her palms were sweating now. The one thing she hated about herself was how she could go from confident and flirty one moment to nervous and awkward the next. But the way he was looking at her seemed to suggest he was interested. Clearly she hadn't scared him off yet. She turned to start walking again, and as she turned, she felt his hand brush against hers. Sparks again. She shivered, and she turned to face him again. Her lips parted, pupils blew wide, and she sought his fingers with her own, curling them together.

He was the first to step a little closer, and she gasped softly when she felt his other hand ghosting up her other arm. His touch was electric, and her body was thrumming. His thumb brushed over her collarbone, over the pulse point of her neck, and then she stood on her tiptoes to meet him halfway. They paused, lips a breath apart, and when she closed her eyes, she felt him press into her, lips warm and pliant against hers. She moaned softly as he unlaced his fingers from hers and brought that hand up to the back of her head, gently stroking the base of her neck. She brought one arm around his neck and curled her other hand into the front of his shirt, tugging him a little closer.

She tasted sweet and salty at the same time, and the feel of her soft lips against his was enough to wake up the rest of his body and have it responding in ways that he figured were probably not entirely appropriate for a first date. Still, she tasted so good, and the moment his tongue slipped against her lips and she opened up to him, he was certain he'd never felt anything as good as this. His heart was thundering in his chest now, and he could hear it pounding in his ears. And the sweet, soft moan that escaped Carol's lips next only made him want to keep kissing her, keeping making her feel whatever the hell she was feeling to make her moan like that.

Suddenly, something rustled in the bushes nearby, pulling them both out of the moment. Carol jumped, and she glanced over at the bush, lips parted as she panted, blinking the stars out of her eyes. A moment later, a rabbit went scurrying away, and Carol laughed breathlessly, falling into him, burying her face against his shoulder for a moment.

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize," he murmured. "Kinda caught me off guard, too."

"The kiss or the little bunny?" Carol asked sheepishly, looking up at him with eyes that seemed brighter than before. And there he was, staring at her, his eyes an impossibly dark blue in that moment, his chest heaving as his lungs burned for breath, his hands trembling at his sides, as if he wasn't sure what to do with them.

"We should get back," he offered with a nod. He figured they had to be at least a quarter mile from the truck.

"Probably a good idea," she offered. "I'm getting kind of hungry, anyway. Are you?"

"Yeah. Starvin'," he admitted, though the blush in his cheeks and on the tops of his ears gave away that he was hungry for more than food. Carol bit her bottom lip and reached for his hand.

"Come on, then. I think I can get us back from here."

...

The truck started up right away, and once they were out on the open road, Carol relaxed in her seat, grabbed her camera and started snapping away. She snuck in a few photos of Daryl, and every time he caught her, she just smiled and pointed the camera elsewhere. She was happy. He was easy to be with, and the longer she was with him, the more relaxed she became. She couldn't get that kiss off of her mind, and every time his hand brushed over hers or they shared a look in the truck, she couldn't help but think of the feel of his lips against hers and his gentle caresses when they held one another.

By the time Daryl turned onto a highway, Carol's stomach was starting to growl. It was nearly one o'clock, and she couldn't believe how quickly the time had gone.

"What time do you need to be home?" she asked, as Daryl stepped on the gas.

"We got a while," he promised. "Figured we'd find some place up the road to eat and then head back. Sound good?"

"Hmm," she hummed with a smile, despite not wanting this day to end at all. She hadn't felt this happy in a long while. To be honest, she hadn't really thought about being this happy again. Her marriage to Ed had left a bad taste in her mouth in regards to relationships, but being with Daryl today had opened up a new world to her. He was funny, sweet, quiet, shy and charming. He was pretty much a great catch, and all she could wonder was why she hadn't caught him sooner. Why had fate led her to Ed first? Perhaps he was simply a tough life lesson meant to make her stronger in the end.

"You ok?"

"Huh?"

"You're quiet."

"Sorry," she murmured. "Just thinking."

"'Bout what?"

"Nothing. Everything," she mused. "I had fun today."

"Me too. I like spendin' time with you."

"Me too." She smiled at him, and she leaned back in the seat. "We should do this again."

"Ain't many days I get a few hours away from the kids."

"That's ok," Carol offered. "You're a dad." Daryl looked at her. "You might be their uncle, but you're their father. Where you go, they go. I mean, I wouldn't have said yes to going with you today if I didn't plan on seeing you again." Daryl swallowed the lump in his throat, and he reached over to take her hand. She curled her fingers around his, and he felt her hand tremble.

"You scared?"

"A little. I mean, I feel like I'm out of my element. It's been so long since things were new and exciting. But it's a good scared, you know? I'm ready for something new." She took a shaky breath. "I mean, there aren't any rulebooks for this kind of thing. You either ease into it, or you dive head first."

"Sink or swim, huh?"

"Yeah," she chuckled. "Clearly I'm not a great swimmer with my track record."

"Me neither." Carol scooted over in the seat a little and squeezed his hand.

"You wanna come over tomorrow? My place ain't nothin' much, but I could cook dinner."

"That sounds nice. Want me to bring anything?"

"Just you," he replied, getting a grin out of her. She leaned back in her seat again and smiled as the sun shone on her face. She felt his hand squeeze hers just a little harder, and she closed her eyes, letting herself get lost in the silence with him.

...

They'd had a nice lunch at a little diner along the highway. They'd traded their most embarrassing dating stories and talked about growing up. Daryl had paid, made a quick phone call to let his mother know what time to expect him to pick up the kids, and then they'd headed off toward the city.

By the time they got back to Carol's, it was nearing supper time, as they'd run into some slow traffic on the freeway. Still, they hadn't minded, as neither of them had seemed eager for their date to end. They were quiet, as he walked her to her door, and Carol felt those familiar bundles of nerves coiling in her stomach. She didn't know why she felt so anxious. They'd already kissed, and it had been electric. Maybe that's why she was so nervous. Maybe she was afraid that if they kissed again, she wouldn't be able to stop.

"You got everything? Camera and stuff?"

"Yeah." Carol patted the camera bag she'd slung over her shoulder. She fidgeted with her keys for a moment and turned to face him. "I really did have a great time. And, hey, the truck didn't break down."

"Yeah, that was a plus," Daryl snorted. "You get some good pictures?"

"Yeah, I got a lot, actually."

"Shit, you ain't gonna post that one of me, are ya?"

"Which one? They're all pretty good," she teased. "It's ok. I won't if you don't want me to. It's not like we're, you know…" She furrowed her brows. "Well, I guess we…oh, I'm so bad at this." She blushed and covered her eyes with her hand, wincing. "We don't have to define anything. That would be…that's too soon, right?" Daryl eyed her for a moment, and damn it, there was that look in his eyes again. He licked his lips, and her knees went a little weak. "Can we forget the last two minutes and just leave it at 'I had a great time?'"

"If ya want," he shrugged. She sighed. She was thankful he wasn't going to push, and at least he wasn't running for the hills. He took a step toward her, and she couldn't help but smile when he reached out for her hand. "I had a good time, too."

"So…tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I usually cook supper around six. You can come over whenever. He quickly grabbed his phone and sent a text. Her phone buzzed in her back pocket. "Just sent the address. It ain't hard to find."

"For you, maybe," she pouted. "I, however, am in a deeply committed relationship with GPS. It's very one-sided, you know." Daryl couldn't help but grin. She was too damned cute when she crinkled her nose like that. Her eyes sparkled, and her face just brightened, and before he could stop himself, he was putting his hands on her waist and tugging her toward him. "Jealous?" She batted her eyelashes at him, and he smirked. There was that flirt that liked to come out and play now and again. The fact that she was able to go from a complete nervous wreck to a sexy little flirt in 0.2 seconds was just one more thing that he adored about her. He was glad that he was able to help her relax, even when his own hands were a trembling wreck at her hips. But looking into her eyes, all he wanted to do was taste her again.

She must have felt his hands trembling, so she reached up and curled one arm around his neck, stood on her tiptoes, and met his mouth with her own, kissing him softly at first, letting the sensation wash over them both. And then her other hand tugged at the front of his shirt, pulling him closer, and then she sighed, opening up to the kiss.

His hands were still trembling, but he seemed to relax when she playfully nipped at his bottom lip. She pulled back to gauge his reaction. His nostrils flared, and he let out a little growl, and then he was kissing her again, and she giggled against his mouth.

She took a step back, and he took a step forward, and she gasped softly against his mouth when her back hit the front door. He could practically feel the heat scorching his blood, and he leaned his forehead against hers, taking in deep breaths to try to calm himself down.

"You should probably go," she whispered, fingers tightening in the fabric of his shirt. "It's been a long time, and I, uh, I don't think I trust myself right now." She blushed at her own admission, but she felt him nod.

"Ok," he murmured, voice a ragged whisper. He cleared his throat and let her go, taking a couple of steps back for good measure. "I'll uh, see you tomorrow then?"

"Tomorrow," she promised, biting her lip, still tasting him there. She couldn't help but grin at the sight of his lips, pink and slightly swollen from her kiss. He rubbed the back of his neck and eyed her once more before turning and walking quickly to his truck to put as much distance between them as possible despite every fiber of his being wanting to stay and keep kissing her some more.

When he was gone, she lingered on the porch a little longer, heart thundering in her chest as a familiar fluttering of butterflies overwhelmed her stomach. When she felt her phone buzz in her pocket again, she snapped out of her daze and realized Michonne was calling her. With a sigh and a blush in her cheeks, she turned the key and headed into the house for what she was certain would be a barrage of questions from her curious and well-meaning best friend.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

By the time Daryl got the kids home, he was looking forward to a quiet afternoon at home. He didn't quite get that. Instead, he got Charlie running around the house too hyper to sit quietly and watch a movie. He was pretty certain she'd had more than a few chocolate chip cookies at Grandma's house, but who was he to complain when his mother was helping him so much? Still, by the time he got her calmed down, put supper in front of her and fed Jack his bottle, he was more than ready for a quiet night and a cold beer.

He bathed baby while Charlie played with her water toys, and by the time both kids were clean and dressed for bed, Jack was wide awake, and Charlie wasn't ready to sleep. So, Daryl sat in the rocking chair next to Charlie's big girl bed and racked his brain for any ideas for a bedtime story. Jack stared up at him with big, bright eyes, and he knew it was going to be a long night.

"Story, Dada!"

"Hold on, Charlie. M'thinkin'," he muttered, hoisting Jack up into his arms. He rested the baby's head against his shoulder and patted his back, hoping the soothing action would lull him to sleep. Jack hiccupped against him.

"Princess?" Charlie offered.

"You wanna hear a princess story?"

"Uh-huh!"

"Alright. Um, let's see here." He thought for a moment, and finally, he thought back to that day in the woods with Carol out by the lake, and a smile tugged at his lips. "Ok, Charlie. You ready?"

"Yeah!"

"Once upon a time, a beautiful princess lived in the woods. Her name was Charlie."

"Charlie?"

"Uh-huh. See, she was the prettiest princess in all the land. She grew up in the woods in a magic castle with her little brother Prince Jack." Charlie giggled. "See, Jack and Charlie didn't have a mama or a daddy to tuck them in at night or teach them how to brush their teeth. But their uncle traveled to their magic castle in the woods to take care of them and teach them everything they needed to know." Charlie yawned, and Daryl felt Jack hiccup against his chest again. He gently rocked him and continued his story. "See, Uncle Daryl was lonely, though. He loved Princess Charlie and Prince Jack, but he realized that there was just one thing missing from his little family."

"A mama," Charlie offered sleepily, cozying up to her pillow. "For Princess Charlie?" Daryl smiled at that, and he reached down and stroked the back of his niece's head. "Dada?"

"Yeah, Charlie?"

"We get a puppy?" Daryl chuckled at her sudden change of subject.

"We'll see." Charlie yawned again and closed her eyes. "Good night, Charlie." Within moments, Charlie was sleeping, and Daryl quietly crept out of the room and put Jack down in his crib. Jack momentarily opened his eyes and grunted as if he was going to start to fuss, but he yawned and stretched and was out like a light soon enough.

By the time Daryl got to his room, he was more than ready to just crawl into bed and sleep for the next twelve hours. But he figured he'd probably best get a shower, given that he'd been walking out in the woods for a good part of the morning.

As he was tugging his shirt over his head, he heard something clink against the porcelain sink. He reached into the pocket to pull out the ring he'd found earlier in the dirt. He'd almost forgotten about it.

He turned on the tap and gently ran the ring under the stream, rubbing at the silver to clean away the dirt. Dark, red dirt swirled down the drain, and soon, he had a good-as-new silver band with an intricate inset of small diamonds. The pattern looked like a delicate vine with petals. He wondered how long it had been out in that place, how it had gotten there, who it had belonged to.

He held the ring up to the light, turning it over in his hand. He noticed something inscribed inside the small band, and he gently wiped his finger around the inside of it.

 _Love you 'til my last breath – D. May 6, 1960._

This was definitely a wedding ring. And obviously a very old one. Daryl gently dried the silver ring and carried it to his room, placing it on his dresser next to his wallet. He stared down at it for a moment. It was such a strange thing to find, of all things, out there with her. He wondered if it had been purposely left there, perhaps out of anger or grief. Or maybe the wearer simply lost it with no hope of ever finding it again. Whatever the case was, he'd found it, and he honestly didn't know what to do with it. He could possibly track down the owner, if the owner was even still around or even wanted it. But where the hell was he supposed to start? Was he supposed to pour through marriage records for everyone on that day? Who was D? Diane or Dave?

He picked the ring up again and remembered Carol taking a photo of it in the palm of his hand, all covered in dirt and mystery. She found beauty in things like that. He wondered what she'd think of it now.

...

"I'm so jealous," Michonne groaned on the other line.

"Why? You have an actual boyfriend who you can kiss and touch anytime you want," Carol pointed out. She was sprawled out on her bed with her laptop next to her and her SD card was inserted and loading the pictures from that day.

"Well, I don' t think Daryl would mind you kissing and touching him whenever you wanted to. Maybe he's not your boyfriend, _yet_ , but it looks like you're quickly heading in that direction."

"Let's hope," Carol sighed. "I mean it's too early to define anything. I think we're both a little nervous. I'm glad it's not just me."

"Well, whatever happens, it sounds like I'm gonna like this guy. When do I get to meet him?"

"I don't think we're quite at the 'let's meet the friends' stage."

"Um, aren't you going to his place to spend time with him and the kids tomorrow?"

"Well, that's different."

"How?"

"The kids already met me."

"Yeah, you're the lady that took their picture. But when you start being the lady that comes to dinner and sometimes kisses Uncle Daryl?"

"Okay, point taken. They're little. I mean, a newborn and a toddler? It's not like they're teenagers or like they're going to sit across the table and glare at me like some intruder, right? I like kids. I mean, I work with them a lot. I always wanted a baby." She sighed. "It's going to be fine. We'll have a good time."

"So, you're going over for dinner with him and the kids, and then what?"

"I don't know. Maybe a movie or something? Whatever families do at night?"

"Well, they're little, so they'll probably go to bed pretty early, so that'll leave the two of you alone."

"So?"

"So, you'll be at his place where there's a bed and…"

"Oh, come on. _That's_ not happening."

"And why not? It sounds like you two were getting pretty cozy with each other."

"We're not there yet."

"Hmm."

"What's that mean?"

"Nothing. Just 'hmm.'"

"Well, you don't have to worry about that. I'm an adult, and so is he, and we know how to control ourselves. I mean, we've been on one date."

"Really, two."

"What?"

"Your little coffee thing."

"Ok, so two dates. A date and a half? We're still getting to know each other. I mean, am I attracted to him? _God_ , yes, but I think I know how to control my hormones."

"Okay," Michonne mused.

"You don't believe me."

"I'm just saying it's been a really long time for you. You deserve a little happy, but I want you to be careful."

"It's not been _that_ long."

"Carol."

"Oh, shut up," Carol snorted. She sat up a little and pulled her computer into her lap. "Oh, these turned out great."

"Huh?"

"The pictures I took. They turned out really good. Oh, I took a couple in black and white. It worked really well. Oh, I might put this on the wall."

"Send me some."

"You don't want to see my boring pictures."

"Yes I do! I helped push you to take those boring pictures for a living, so humor me."

"Fine," Carol snorted. "Let me e-mail them." She went through and carefully selected the ones she wanted to send. By accident, she selected one of Daryl, the one she really, really liked, and she gasped when she hit send.

"What?"

"Shit. I just set you a picture of Daryl."

"Oh? Oh, I can't wait for this. Is it dirty?"

"Shut up! You know it's not." Michonne snickered on the other line.

"Oh, man. Okay, I see why you're into him. He's gorgeous. Ruggedly handsome. Aw, did he shave for you?"

"He did. God, I can't decide if I like him shaven or with a little stubble better. And he smells _so_ good, Mich."

"Oh, yeah. You're the smitten kitten."

"Well, I can't help myself. He's sweet. I really like him."

"I'm happy you're happy. If anyone deserves that, it's you."

"Thank you," Carol murmured. "Hey, I'm gonna let you go."

"Alright. I should turn in early. Rick's taking me to some orchard or a fall festival or something tomorrow. He's into those things."

"You secretly are, too."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I can't tease him a little about it, does it?"

"Not at all," Carol laughed. "Have a good night."

"You too. Love you."

"Love you too."

Carol sighed and leaned back against the headboard, checking her profile. She added a couple of photos from that day to her timeline, and she smiled, typing out a message to post on her page.

 _It was a beautiful day for an adventure. 3_

It wasn't long before a message popped up for her. She smiled when she saw it was from him.

 _Kids are finally sleeping. I ain't the best at making up bedtime stories. You know any?_

 _Are we talking princess in towers or magical mermaids?_

 _Lately, it's the princesses. Can't believe I'm saying this, but I think I'm ready for the mermaid stage. There's a lot of cute, fluffy pink stuff in this house._

Carol giggled at his words.

 _Well, welcome to parenting a girl, Daryl. I mean, as someone who was once daddy's little princess herself, the pink stuff just gets more out of control until about age twelve._

 _Then what happens?_

 _Everything is black. Black clothes, black lipstick, black nail polish, black hair._

 _Shit. You're joking right?_

 _No. You should see my seventh grade picture. Um…on second thought, no you shouldn't. I can't believe my parents let me out of the house like that._

 _Bet you never took a bad picture._

 _Oh, I wouldn't be so sure. I bet you were adorable when you were twelve._

 _I think you'd lose my phone number if you knew I once rocked a mullet._

 _Oh God. Really?_

 _Yeah. And to make it worse, the top was almost a bowl cut._

 _Oh no! No, that's bad. Who did that to you?_

 _Merle. Asshole did it when I was sleepin'. I coulda killed him."_

 _Poor thing. I'm sort of glad I was an only child._

 _You still coming over tomorrow?_

 _Of course. I wouldn't miss it. You're sure there's nothing you need me to bring. Or…pick up along the way?_

 _I think I got everything here._

 _Ok. If you can think of anything, let me know._

 _Alright. You as tired as I am?_

 _I think I collapsed in bed as soon as I got home. I feel like I ran a marathon today, but I had a great time._

 _Me too._

She then sent him a smiley face, and he stared at his screen. He chewed the inside of his bottom lip for a moment, before he found the courage to type his next words.

 _Can't stop thinking about kissing you._

Carol's face flushed the moment the words appeared on her computer screen. Then she bit her lip and grinned, and she was so glad nobody was around to see her. She covered her face with her hands for a moment before composing herself and getting back to the conversation.

 _I can't stop thinking about that either. You're a good kisser. Not that I've kissed a lot of guys. But, I mean, in comparison, I'd say you're the best kisser I've ever had the pleasure of kissing._

 _That means I gotta up my game next time. Can't disappoint._

 _Oh, you think there's gonna be a next time?_

 _Yeah. I mean, I'm hoping._

 _Yeah, you're right. There's definitely gonna be a next time._

 _Yeah?_

 _Oh yeah. I think it's a safe bet. But for now, I should go. I'm going to pour a glass of wine and take a long, hot bath. Good night, Daryl. Sweet dreams._

She had to leave him with _that_ image in his head? She was a tease, and he loved every bit of it.

 _I think that's a safe bet, too. Good night._


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Carol had a tough time sleeping, and by the time she woke up the next morning, the butterflies that had been fluttering about in her belly all night had turned into bats, and she was once again giddy and nervous.

She busied herself with feeding Lucky and taking him out for a quick walk. She got home and cut up some fruit for breakfast before settling down at her computer and going through some of the photos she'd taken that past week. Still, it wasn't long before work was no longer a distraction, because she came across her file of the pictures of Daryl with the kids, and she got lost looking at him, seeing the way he was so careful with them, how he held onto them like everything might fall apart in a heartbeat.

It felt like so long ago now, but it hadn't been long at all. As she sat there looking at the photos, she felt her heart begin to pound and her head begin to swim at how quickly this was moving. She had wanted to get out and try dating and maybe move on from the disaster of a marriage she managed to walk out of, but she certainly hadn't expected to meet _this_ guy and feel _this_ way so fast.

Still, the longer she looked at the pictures, the more she smiled, the more she couldn't wait until it was time to drive over there and see him. She was excited. She was nervous. She was scared. But most of all, she _wanted_ to go. She _wanted_ to be with him, and she could have chalked it all up to the newness of it all, but she knew in her heart that that wasn't what it was. She loved the way he looked at her, the way they could just walk together and talk about things. She loved how they could let the anxiety melt away and just be together in peace. Even more, she loved that as comfortable as they could be together, they could still fumble with one another, be shy, be cautious. She hadn't expected she would fall this hard.

By the time noon rolled around, she got a shower and picked out what she'd wear that evening. She settled on a pair of her favorite jeans and a purple blouse that was cut a little bit low. It wasn't really her intention to show off her freckled chest, but she liked that shirt and liked the way it fit her. But, she still had a while until she had to leave for Daryl's, so she tugged on her bra and panties and slipped a thin robe on, tying it firmly around her middle.

She settled down on the couch with her computer in her lap, and she checked out her social media account, seeing where Daryl had made a post about planning something special for dinner. Her heart had skipped a beat, and then she'd smiled when he'd sent her a message asking her how she liked her steak.

 _Medium well, please. A little pink, but not mooing._

 _No mooing. Got it. How are you?_

 _I'm fine. Looking forward to this evening. You?_

 _Good. You can come over now if you want._

 _Oh, someone's eager. Or maybe you just realized how much work all that cooking's going to be. ;)_

 _Maybe both._

Carol laughed at that.

 _Well, I could come by a little early. Maybe in an hour?_

 _Sounds good. Charlie's watching cartoons, and Jack's in his swing. Pretty sure they're both about to fall asleep._

 _I should take Lucky out once more before I leave. Sometimes he gets scared when it's dark and is too afraid to use the doggy door._

 _You can bring him. I have a fenced in yard. He can play with Charlie._

 _You wouldn't mind?_

 _Not at all. That way you don't have to worry about cleaning up a mess when you get home._

 _Alright, I might just do that. See you soon._

 _See you._

...

"You look beautiful."

"Thank you," Carol murmured with a smile. Daryl took her purse when she walked in the door, and he leaned in to kiss her cheek. She let him, but then she quickly turned to give him a quick kiss on the lips before running her hand gently across his cheek to feel the scratch of his new stubble. He pulled back for a moment to see the smile on her lips, and then he leaned in to give her a proper kiss, tasting the mint of her toothpaste and the cherry flavor of her lip balm. Lucky whined, and Daryl leaned down to scratch his ears.

"Kids are sleepin'. Come in and have a seat."

"Something smells amazing," she mused, stepping into the house and looking around. It was a small house with a white fence. It was just the perfect size for a small family, though she was certain that one day Daryl might have to find a bigger place.

"I know it ain't much."

"It's nice. Cozy. I like it," Carol insisted. Daryl took her purse and put it up on the coat rack. Carol gave him a thankful smile.

"You want a tour of the place?"

"I'd like that," she offered, taking his hand.

"Well, this is the livin' room. Might as well call it the TV room I crash in half the time." Carol giggled at that. "Back here's the dinin' room." A small table with a high chair pulled up to one side was in the center of the small room. A big, picture window showed off a small, fenced-in yard. "Thought about puttin' a swing set out here. Maybe a sandbox. Charlie likes the one down at the park." A set of patio doors was to the back of the dinner table. "You want me to let him out?"

"Oh, I can. You wanna go out, Lucky?" Lucky cocked his head to the side and wagged his tail. Daryl unlocked the door, and Carol let him out, unclipping his leash from his collar. "He'll be ok out there?"

"Yeah, ain't much he can get into. Got everything packed up in the shed." He shut the patio door, and he took Carol's hand again. "Kitchen ain't much, but I spend a lot of time in here. Takes an hour some mornings to get Charlie to eat all her breakfast." Carol noticed the cans of baby formula stacked next to the sink. "Lot of late night feedings in here, too."

"I don't know how you do it," she said with a chuckle and a shake of her head. "You get used to it. Just becomes routine. Sometimes I wake up 'fore Jack does, you know? I can get his bottle ready before he's up and ready for it."

"Oh, I love this," Carol murmured, moving over to the sink. A pretty garden window overlooked the back yard. "I bet you have a great view of the sunset from the back yard."

"Yeah, it's nice," Daryl offered. "C'mon, I'll show you the rest of the place." He took her back down a hallway, showing off the master bathroom, the small nursery where Jack's crib was, Charlie's princess-themed room, the small bathroom next to Charlie's, and then the last room on the left. The door was closed, and Daryl seemed to hesitate there. Carol slipped her hand in his again, and he glanced at her briefly before opening it up.

It was bigger than Charlie's room, walls bare and King sized bed covered with a simple blue blanket. A TV was mounted on the wall above an oak bureau with drawers for his clothes.

"Ain't much."

"You need a decorator," Carol teased. "But it looks comfortable." Carol eyed the stack of magazines next to his bed. "Oh, some light reading before bed?"

"Hey, it ain't nothin' dirty. Wouldn't keep that out," he pointed out. Carol grinned, and she gave his hand a squeeze.

His home certainly needed a woman's touch, but it seemed comfortable enough for him and for the kids. Still, Carol found herself immediately thinking of ways to spruce the place up. She had to stop herself.

"I like it," she offered. "It suits you."

"What, boring and plain?"

"No," she laughed. "You know what I mean. I mean, it's real." She shrugged a little. "It's the way you like it." She brushed past him, and Daryl swallowed the lump in his throat. She was standing in his bedroom. She was moving toward his bed. Shit, the things that were running through his mind were enough to make his ears turn red and the back of his neck tingle.

She turned then and moved back toward him. He wasn't sure what was going through her head, but he could see that she looked a little nervous in his room. When she moved back toward him, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying not to show how anxious he was just having her so close when there were so many things he wanted to say and do to her.

"You want a drink?" Daryl offered.

"I could go for a glass of wine." He took her hand then, leading her back to the kitchen. He poured her a glass and grabbed a beer for himself, and they retreated to the living room, sinking back onto the couch.

"How was your morning?" Daryl asked, as he watched Carol take a couple of sips of wine and place her glass down on the coffee table.

"Hmm…good," she offered. "Quiet. I was a little nervous about this, though."

"Me too," he offered. "Don't have many people over, except Glenn from work and his wife." He cleared his throat. "You want somethin' to eat before…"

"I can wait." Daryl nodded and took a drink of his beer.

"I probably better check the food."

"Yeah."

"Don't go nowhere."

"I won't," she laughed. Daryl leaned in and brushed his fingertips across her cheek before pressing a soft kiss to her lips. She smiled against his mouth, curling her fingers into his shirt and pulling him closer. When she pulled back, she grinned at him. "Hurry back." He got up slowly then, clearing his throat and rubbing the back of his neck.

He was getting better at the kiss-initiating thing, but he sure as shit wasn't getting better at the shy and awkward afterward thing. Carol didn't seem to mind though. She smiled at him as he walked out of the living room and into the kitchen.

Carol listened to the sound of pots and pans banging around, and she took the opportunity to pull a picture album off the coffee table. She smiled when she saw the first picture inside, a family photo of who she could only assume were Daryl's parents and Daryl and Merle as boys. She recognized the younger boy straight away. Those eyes and that hair weren't hard to pick out.

She flipped through it, grinning at the pictures of Daryl and his brother as a baby. There was one particularly adorable picture of Daryl sitting on the potty wearing nothing but a cowboy hat. He couldn't have been more than two.

"Shit," Daryl grumbled from the doorway. "You found it."

"This might be the cutest thing I've ever seen. I mean, look!"

"My mom took pictures of everything. Apparently potty-trainin' was no exception."

"Oh my god, you were adorable," she giggled. "Aw, look at little Daryl."

"Yeah, yeah. Wait 'til you get to the mullet pictures."

"Oh God, I forgot you told me about…oh God." She snorted when she turned the page and saw a photo of baby Daryl standing up in the bathtub with his arms stretched out. "Look at the little…"

"Yeah, that's enough of the pictures," Daryl grumbled, trying to hide his embarrassment, as Carol giggled. Carol held firm to the album. "Oh, I was just teasing." She leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. "You were so cute."

"Yeah, keep lookin'. The cuteness goes away after about age nine." He grimaced as Carol flipped through the pages. "God."

"Don't feel bad," she grinned. "I've seen worse. I've _taken_ worse."

"You're just sayin' that."

"Oh, no. I'm not," she promised. "I had a family come in last month. Mom and Dad looked like they were dressed for church. They had a little girl, all dressed in bows and ribbons. And then they had a teenaged boy. He had his nose pierced, his lip pierced, his eyebrow pierced, and he had a jet black Mohawk with red tips. They were taking their _Christmas_ card photo, Daryl."

"Shit," he snorted. "Maybe I don't feel so bad after all."

A tiny cry came out of the baby monitor, and Daryl got up to check on Jack. Just as he was heading to the back, the timer on the stove went off.

"Why don't you check the food. I can get the baby."

"You sure? You ain't gotta do that."

"It's fine. I love babies," she offered.

"That's his wet diaper cry," Daryl pointed out. Carol raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"You know his cries?"

"Yeah. That's his wet cry. Promise." She put her hand to her chest. There was something sexy about a guy who cared enough about his kids to know what each little cry meant.

Daryl furrowed his brows at her. He couldn't figure out why she was looking at him that way. And somehow, he was blushing again.

"Uh," he muttered, "wipes and diapers are under the changin' table. You really ain't gotta…"

"I've got it," Carol promised. "You just go do your thing in the kitchen. We'll be ok." She gave him a smile and headed to the back.

Baby Jack was fussing in his crib, and Carol peeked down at him curiously.

"Hey, kiddo," she murmured. "So, you gotta work with me here. See, I haven't changed a _lot_ of diapers before, but I think I can remember how. But I don't want to look incompetent in front of Daryl, so you wanna make this easy on me? Hmm?" The baby grunted, and Carol gently picked him up, minding his head, and she carried him over to the changing table.

Lo and behold, Daryl was right. The diaper was soggy to the touch, and Carol rummaged around for a fresh diaper and a pack of wipes. She got the old diaper off of him, and she knew enough from seeing parents changing diapers at the studio to know to cover him with a wipe to avoid a surprise spray right in the face.

It wasn't long before he was dry and snug in his new diaper, and Carol buttoned up his sleeper, proud of a job well-done. Now, Jack was sucking on his fingers, so she carried him into the living room, letting his little head loll against her shoulder. She patted his back gently and rubbed soothing circles there as she carried him to the kitchen.

"He ok?" Daryl asked, looking up from the counter as he cut up strips of steak.

"Oh, he's good. We did just fine, didn't we, Jack?" Jack grunted and suckled at his fingers. "I think somebody's ready for a bottle."

"Figured," Daryl replied, nodding to a freshly made bottle on the counter.

"You're good," Carol chuckled. "I'm impressed." Carol started to adjust the baby in her arms, though it was a little more awkward that she'd hoped. Daryl moved over, helping her situate him.

"Got his head?"

"Yeah," she promised. "Yeah, thank you." She gave him a smile as she took the bottle and began to feed him. "Oh, he eats like a champ."

"Yep," Daryl said proudly, a smile crossing his face. "Ain't had no problems with that. Charlie was the picky one."

"I could get used to this," Carol chuckled, gently rocking the baby in her arms.

"You probably wanna sit down. He gets heavy after a while."

"Oh, we're just fine, aren't we, Jack?" She bent down and nuzzled the baby's forehead with her nose. He had that amazing baby smell, and she felt her heart melt a little. Daryl watched her for a moment, watched the way she swayed back and forth with him, how she went from looking nervous holding him to looking like she'd been holding him all this time. She looked content, and when she looked up to catch him staring at her, he saw her smile brighten. "God, now I'm gonna have baby fever." Daryl chuckled at that.

"He's pretty great."

"Dada?" Charlie came toddling into the kitchen, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

"Hey, Princess," Daryl offered, leaning down and scooping her up. "You have a good nap."

"Uh-huh," she yawned. "Hi, lady." She waved at Carol. "That brother!"

"Yes," Carol offered with a smile. "I remember."

"You remember Carol, huh?" Daryl asked. "She took your picture."

"Uh-huh!" Charlie offered. "Puppy lady!"

"That's right," Carol laughed. "I brought the puppy, too. He's outside, and you can play with him later." Charlie's eyes widened, and she clapped her hands together. Daryl chuckled and put the girl down in her high chair in the dining room.

"You hungry, Charlie?"

"Ice cream!"

"How about a hot dog?"

"Ok!" Daryl chuckled and shook his head, grabbing a hot dog from the pack in the freezer and heating it up. "Kid don't even realize what's she's missin' out on with steak."

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with a hot dog now and then, right Charlie?" Carol winked at the little girl who giggled.

"Right!"

Daryl went about setting the table. He got Charlie started with her hot dog, and then he brought the other plates to the table.

"Want me to take him so you can eat?" Daryl asked.

"No, he's ok. He looks pretty happy right here, huh?" she asked, peeking down at Jack who blinked up at her sleepily.

"Yeah, he does," Daryl murmured, leaning back against the counter with his arms folded across his chest. She beamed up at him, and he felt his heart skip a beat. How was it that he could feel like _this_ already? How was it that she'd come into his life and made him feel things he didn't think would ever be possible for him again? How was it that everything had been so turned around for so long, but then she'd come around and everything felt like it was right?

He waited for her to finish feeding Jack, and when the baby was sleeping, he helped her up and led her to the living room to put Jack in the swing.

She felt his hand against her back as she lowered the little one inside. When she stood and turned around, she leaned in and gave Daryl a sweet kiss.

"You're good with him," Daryl offered, gently placing his hand against the small of her back.

"Thanks," she offered, kissing him again. This time, the kiss lingered, and when she finally pulled back, she cocked her head to the side and giggled.

"What?" he asked. She nodded toward the kitchen where Charlie was peeking at them from her high chair, giggling and covered her mouth with her ketchup-covered fingers.

"I think we're busted," she whispered. Daryl snorted and turned to her again, bringing her in for one more kiss. She grinned and leaned her forehead against his for a moment before nodding toward the dining room. "Alright, handsome. Let's eat."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Charlie made a mess of herself at supper, so Daryl had let her go outside and play with the puppy for a bit before her bath. After about a half hour of watching the tot chase after the puppy, Daryl had brought the girl in for her bath. Carol offered to help clean up the kitchen so Daryl could give Charlie her bath, but he had insisted he could clean up. The second he was in the bathroom with Charlie, Carol started a sink of soapy water and began to clean up.

She could hear Charlie laughing and splashing away followed by Daryl's firm but sweet urges for her to hurry so she could put on her princess pjs. Carol couldn't help but chuckle at the banter between the two, and by the time she had the last bit of dishes dried and put away, she could hear the bath water draining in the tub.

She headed out back to check on Lucky, who was rolling around happily in the grass. By the time she flopped down on the couch in the living room to check her messages, she could hear Charlie giggling from the back of the house as Daryl told her a bedtime story.

Carol pulled her phone out and saw a text from Michonne.

 _How's it going? Are you moving in yet?_

Carol rolled her eyes and tapped a text back.

 _Oh, hush. It was nice. Daryl's putting the kids down for bed._

Michonne responded about a minute later.

 _Nice. You have some wine?_

 _Yeah, so?_

 _Did he seem in a hurry to get the kids to bed?_

 _It's their bedtime, Michonne. Get your mind out of the gutter._

 _Well, whatever happens, you better call me in the morning._

 _I thought you had plans with Rick._

 _I did, but that fell through. He busted some drug dealer, and I guess there's a lot of paperwork involved._

 _Well, at least you know he works hard. What are you doing tonight?_

 _Curling up on the couch with some wine, chocolate and a good sappy movie._

 _Sounds like my kind of night. Have fun._

 _I'm sure not half as fun as you will. ;)_

 _Shut up. Love you, Mich._

Carol shook her head and put her phone away, grabbed her wine glass and took a sip before leaning back on the couch and absently running her finger along the rim of the glass.

"You cleaned up?" She cracked one eye open and smiled at Daryl. He stood in the doorway with a beer in one hand.

"I told you I didn't mind," she offered. "The kids are sleeping?"

"Out like lights," he assured her. "You, uh, wanna watch something?"

"Sure."

"Anything in particular? Got all kinds of movies, or we can just find something on TV."

"Anything's good," she mused, scooting over on the couch so he could sit down. She felt her heart race when his thigh brush against hers, but she didn't move. She quite liked being this close to him.

Daryl grabbed the remote and turned the TV on to something, anything. The volume was low, so it might as well have just been white noise. He couldn't hear it anyway over the sound of his heart pounding in his ears.

"You're really good with them, you know?" Carol murmured softly, drinking down the last gulp of her wine. "Charlie adores you. It's obvious." She smiled a little. "You found a good balance between the fun uncle and the caring dad, and I think that's probably exactly what they need."

"I try, anyway," Daryl murmured, taking a swig of beer and putting his bottle down on the counter. "Just ready for this whole adoption to be over. I keep waitin' to hear from my lawyer. Could be tomorrow, could be next month. Hell, it could be next year for all I know."

"Try not to think about it. I know that's what I did during my divorce. I worried a lot. What if this drags out forever? What if he keeps this tied up in court?" She shook her head. "I'm thankful it didn't happen that way. I'm glad it's over. I'm glad I can move on."

"You ever miss it? Bein' married?"

"To him? Hell no," Carol snorted. "I mean, at first, things were good. He could be romantic when he wanted to be. It was nice not having to be responsible for all the bills. It was nice to have someone to talk to at night. I mean, I've got Lucky now, but he's not much of a conversationalist." Daryl chuckled, and Carol glanced at him. "What I don't miss is being treated like a lesser half. I don't like being lied to, so I don't miss that one bit. I certainly don't miss the downward spiral that happened when I finally left him." She shook her head.

"Don't even know the guy, but I know enough to know he's a dick."

"He's a dick," Carol agreed, nodding her head before she laughed. "It feels good to say that." She leaned her head back against the couch, closing her eyes for a moment. She could feel him staring at her, and oh, that wine was making her feel good. Maybe a little too good. Before she could stop herself, the words flew out of her mouth. "I do miss sex." _Shit._ "I mean, I don't have much to compare it to. Ed was ok, I mean, he sometimes got the job done. But, even bad sex is sometimes better than no sex."

He was silent. Staring at her. She felt her face and neck grow hot.

"Shit," she groaned, covering her face with her hands. "I don't know why I just…I mean, this isn't exactly something you want to hear."

"It's ok."

"No. God, I'm sorry." She moved to get up, but he reached for her hand. His fingers curled around hers, and she froze there.

"Don't gotta apologize," he promised. "I mean, you're right. When it's been a while, even bad sex starts to sound good."

"Bad sex," she snorted. "Bad, irresponsible, heat-of-the-moment sex." She licked her lips and felt her heart begin to pound.

"When ya put it that way, who could resist?" Daryl snorted. They both laughed together, and Carol covered her face with her hands again.

"We should probably pick a different topic," she offered.

"Yeah, probably a good idea," he agreed, wiping his now sweating palms on his knees. Still, his heart was pounding in his chest, and his blood was rushing to places he wished it wouldn't, but the way she was looking at him, the way his heart felt like it might burst, he wasn't sure what to do or say, and _God_ , he wanted to do so much.

She watched him, saw the way his adam's apple bobbed in his throat. His nostrils flared, and his breathing quickened, and she swore she saw his pupils blow wide when his gaze met hers. This was so irresponsible. She knew that. She wasn't the kind of girl who jumped right into bed with a guy she'd gone on a couple of dates with. She wasn't the kind of girl who let her desires run away with her. She wasn't the kind of girl that just jumped in blindfolded. She'd been burnt badly with Ed, but Daryl wasn't Ed. Daryl was something completely different, something completely unlike what she'd known before. She cared for him. She thought about him more than she cared to admit. And now, as they sat there on the couch, she felt this pull toward him. She wanted him. While her brain screamed obscenities at her, telling her how fucking stupid and irresponsible it was to even think about doing this with a man she'd known for so little time, her body was already responding in ways that made her blood sizzle and her skin tingle.

Her hands shook then, and she bit her lip, scooting a little closer.

"Maybe," she mused, bringing her hand to his chest, gently tucking her fingers in the gaps between the buttons of his shirt, "maybe it wouldn't be so bad." His eyes met hers briefly, and then he was staring at her mouth again. He groaned then. He was getting harder, and now her other hand was on his thigh. "Is this ok?" He could see the blush in her cheeks, and he knew she was pushing past her own comfort level, maybe too far past, but she wasn't turning back.

"Yeah." His throat was dry, and his tongue felt too big for his mouth. What the hell else could he say when this was what he wanted more than anything in this very moment?

"We shouldn't…I mean, we could just…" Her hand trembled against his chest, and he brought his hand up to curl around hers.

"C'mere," he murmured, pulling an arm around her waist. She gasped softly when he pulled her against him. She sighed when his mouth was on hers, and she knew this was probably not the best idea, but it felt so damn good. Her body was thrumming, and when his other hand let go of hers and moved down her back, she wrapped her arms around his neck and let him pull her into his lap. She straddled him, one knee on either side of his lap, and she kissed him deeply, her chest pressed against his, her hands moving down his shoulders and his stomach, her tongue sliding against his as he gripped her hips and pulled her closer.

He growled softly against her mouth, and she smiled against his lips, giggling when his fingers skimmed against her bare skin under her shirt.

"Should we stop?" she breathed, moaning as his hands moved over her ass.

"Probably," he grunted, gasping as Carol's hands moved dangerously low, toward the button on his pants. "You gonna respect me in the mornin' if we don't?" Carol laughed at that then, and he snorted, burying his face against her neck. "You taste so good."

"God," she panted, "touch me." His hands moved up her waist, and she arched back when his hands were on her breasts. His lips and teeth and tongue teased the side of her neck and her collarbone, and she bit her lip, panting softly as she sunk into him, grinding against his lap. She could feel him, hard and straining against his jeans, and she knew she could easily lose control. It wouldn't take much. She was actually amazed at how quickly she'd thrown caution to the wind and pushed aside the worries and the insecurities and the shyness and just went for it. And he certainly was enjoying every moment of it.

"Fuck," he growled, moving his hand under her shirt, palming her lace-covered breast. She gasped when she felt his thumb graze across the top of her breast. It wouldn't have taken much for him to pull it down, to run his fingertip over her pebbled nipple. Her hand moved lower then, cupping him, and his hips lifted off the couch. "Christ, you keep that up and…" His words fell short, and her mouth was on his again. He brought his hands back to her waist, and he moved her off of his lap. He crawled over her, pressing her against the couch cushions. She felt him settle between her legs, mouth sucking at her neck as he grinded against her.

"Daryl," she panted. "Oh God."

"You want me to stop."

"No," she breathed. "No, I…" She arched back when his hand moved between her legs, feeling the heat there, rubbing her until she was writhing beneath him. "Oh God!" She cried out against his neck, hips trembling as Daryl moved his hand to the waist of her pants. He pulled back, eyeing her as if asking for permission.

Her mouth was open in a gasp, her lips swollen and pink from his kisses. He was so hard it was getting uncomfortable now.

"Open your eyes, sweetheart," he murmured, kissing her chin and then trailing kisses up behind her ear. He pulled back to see her staring up at him, and he knew that if they went much further, they wouldn't be able to stop. He didn't want to stop, but he knew this might just make things more complicated. But, then her hands were moving up the back of his shirt, fingers ghosting over his warm, damp skin, and he buried his face against her neck, slipping his hand inside of her pants, feeling the soft lace of her panties, feeling how damp they already were. "Christ, Carol…"

"Please," she begged, gently nipping at his jaw. "Please." He slipped his fingers past the elastic of her panties, moaning against her mouth when he felt how hot and wet she was. She was dripping, aching for him. He began to stroke her, and she clawed at his back, burying her cries against his lips, gasping as her walls fluttered and her eyes slammed shut so tight she saw stars bursting there. "Daryl! Oh God." Her body tensed, and he circled her clit before delving deeper, slipping a finger inside. She wrapped her arms around his neck then, bringing him down so she could bury her cries against his mouth. It didn't take long before her entire body tensed, and she came, gasping and panting as he peppered kisses along her jaw.

"You ok?"

"You kidding?" she laughed. "Oh God." Her hands were over her face again, but he reached up, pulling her hands away.

"You're beautiful," he murmured.

"Kiss me," she whispered. And he did. She curled one leg over his waist, and despite the fabric between them, she whimpered the second he grinded against her. "Oh…okay. Okay. Oh…yeah." Daryl chuckled, and she ran her fingers through his hair. "Keep it up."

"Don't think that's a problem."

"Oh." She snorted, realizing she'd walked right into that one. His fingers were sticky as they trailed up her shirt. The muscles in her stomach jumped, and she reached between them, stroking him through his jeans.

"Fuck," he grunted. "Carol…"

"Wanna touch you," she murmured. Her fingers fumbled with the button of his jeans, and he braced himself, nearly losing it when he felt her warm, velvety fingers wrap around him.

"God damn it," he bit out, hips jerking as he tugged his pants down, giving her better access. She had him by the base, stroking upward, and it was all he could do to string a coherent thought together. But just as she was picking up the pace, his cell phone rang. "You fucking kidding me?" He buried his face against her neck again. The phone rang again. "Who the fuck…" Carol let go of him, and he lay there for a moment. The phone rang again.

"You should probably get that," she offered, biting her lip and bringing her hand up to stroke his cheek. "It's ok. It's ok." She kissed him again, and Daryl quickly stuffed himself back in his pants, much to her chagrin. She hadn't even really gotten a look at him in the heat of the moment. But he was up and pulling his pants back up his hips while she tugged her shirt back down and did up the button on her own pants. He grabbed his phone and stepped out of the living room, while she lay there seeing stars, wondering how what she'd just experienced was better than any sex she'd ever had, and he hadn't even been inside of her.

Perhaps it was for the best that the phone had rung, because she would have willingly given every part of herself to him, and now that she had a moment to think, it scared her a little that she'd so easily let herself let go with him like that. She'd been guarded since the divorce, not really thinking about letting anybody that close to her again. But Daryl was different, and being with him like that was better than anything she'd never experienced before.

When Daryl returned, he had a look on his face she couldn't read. She sat up and then stood up, moving across the room to him.

"Are you ok? Daryl?"

"That was my lawyer," he said slowly. "We got a final court date." Carol's eyes widened. "The adoption's gonna be finalized next week."

"Daryl, that's amazing!" Carol gushed, bringing her arms around his neck to hug him. He closed his eyes at the feeling of her pressed against him, buried his face against her neck, breathing in the sweet scent of her skin. "I'm happy for you."

"Can't believe it. I honestly thought they were gonna drag this out." He shook his head.

"I'm happy for you," she whispered. He kissed her then, and she smiled against his lips.

"Stay tonight," he urged, feeling lighter than air, braver than before, determined for things to only get better from here on out. "We can celebrate."

"I want to," she admitted, leaning her forehead against his. "I do. God, you don't know how much I want to." Her hands were at his waist then, fingers toying with his belt loops. "But I should go. I should." She bit her lip, and he nodded. His chest was still heaving, and she knew he needed release, but if they got started again, there'd be no stopping, and as good of an idea as that sounded at the moment, she still needed a little more time. "I feel bad leaving before…" She bit her lip and looked up at him. "Are you disappointed?"

"No. I mean, a little," he admitted with a chuckle. "But, I get it. We probably went too far."

"I'm not complaining," she offered with a light laugh. "That was…"

"Yeah," he breathed. "I know." He sighed when she kissed him again.

"I wanna see you again," she murmured, as his hands roamed over her back.

"I gotta work tomorrow. Fuck, I'll quit my job and come see you."

"Don't you dare," she laughed.

"I'll call ya in the mornin'."

"You better," she grinned. She pulled away from him and went to the patio door, calling Lucky in. She could feel Daryl's eyes on her, and she blushed when she turned around. "Maybe I can call you when I get home."

"I ain't goin' to sleep no time soon," he muttered, knowing full well he was going to be taking a long, necessary shower when she left.

"Ok," she whispered, leaning in to kiss him again after she got Lucky's leash clipped to his collar. "Soon?"

"Yeah. Sooner the better," he growled, bringing her in for one more kiss. She grinned against his mouth, pulling back and giving him one more sweet kiss for the road.

"Soon," she promised, before she grabbed her purse and headed out before she stayed and made the best bad choices she could think of.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Carol was all smiles when she woke the next morning. To be honest, she certainly hadn't slept so peacefully in a long time. Perhaps it was the peace of mind that everything was looking up for her, that she had someone special to think about and to talk to? Or maybe it was the earth shattering orgasm that left her weak in the knees long after she got home last night.

She'd called him as soon as she'd had her bath, and they'd ended up chatting for almost an hour, which she didn't mind, because she just liked to hear the sound of his voice. Their conversation had wandered into dangerous territory, leaving her crying out his name into the phone and wishing he was there with his hands and his mouth all over her. She'd never had phone sex in her life and had never seen the appeal in it until last night. Yeah, the man could make her come with just a few suggestive words guiding her hand. It was like a superpower.

Even afterward when she was laying in the silence of her bedroom, all she could think about was his hands on her and how thick and hard he had felt in her hands. She'd found herself getting wet just at the thought of him and almost regretted not taking him up on the offer to stay. If she'd stayed, maybe it would have been a mistake, but then again, she'd be a little less frustrated, a little achy and a lot more relaxed.

Carol took her time getting ready for work that morning. She had a few families scheduled for portraits, and then she had a few hours between clients. She took Lucky out for a quick walk after breakfast, and by the time she got back home, she noticed something waiting for her on the front porch. She almost missed it, but it was hidden in the corner of the porch, and Lucky was the one who sniffed it out.

A bouquet of red roses lay in a wicker basket with a bottle of her favorite red wine. She furrowed her brows, kneeling down to pick up the basket. The little card attached to the flowers simply read:

 _For Carol_

 _See you soon_

Carol bit her lip, trying but failing to suppress the grin that spread across her face. She tucked the little card into her front pocket. She gripped the bottle of wine in one hand and thought for a moment. How did Daryl know this was her particular favorite?

She brought it inside and put the wine in the fridge to chill before placing the roses in a pretty, glass vase. Lucky settled down with a bone to chew on, and Carol gathered up her camera case and purse, and she found her phone and sent a quick text to Daryl on her way out the door.

 _Good morning. I think it's a little early for wine, don't you? See you soon. ;)_

Lucky padded over and whined at the door, and Carol bent down to scratch his ears.

"I can't take you this morning, buddy, but I'll be home at lunch to see you, ok?" She gave him one last pat on the head before she set the alarm, locked up and headed to her car.

She rolled the windows down and let the cool morning breeze wake her up, along with a travel mug filled with her favorite caramel flavored coffee. Traffic wasn't too bad, and she even got to her office a few minutes early.

She got set up for her first session, and just as she settled down at her desk, she saw the notification light flashing on her phone. She smiled, taking a sip of coffee and checking her messages.

 _Sorry, just woke up. Hope you slept well. Who's drinking wine?_

Carol furrowed her brows.

 _Well, I would have if I hadn't had to work. The flowers were beautiful._

She logged into her social media account to see she had a new friend request from Michonne's boyfriend Rick. His profile picture was of him with Michonne, and it looked like they were at a carnival. Michonne promptly sent Carol a message as soon as Carol accepted Rick's request.

 _Sorry about him. He's just now joining the social media world._

 _Oh, but look at his picture. He loves you._

 _He's sweet. I think this one is gonna last._

 _Let's hope! You deserve to be happy._

 _So do you. How was date night with Daryl?_

 _Amazing. That's all I can say._

 _That's good?_

 _Better. ;) Talk to you later._

 _You better! Love you!_

Just then, Carol's phone buzzed again, and she opened her message from Daryl.

 _At the risk of sounding like a huge jerk, I didn't send any flowers. I kind of crashed after we got off the phone last night. I just woke up when you texted me earlier._

Carol's blood ran cold. She immediately felt her heart drop, and the breath left her lungs for an uncomfortably long few moments.

 _You didn't send anything?_

She managed to tap out her text with shaky fingers, and she waited for his response.

 _No. I'm sorry. Wait….someone sent you something?_

 _A bouquet of roses and a bottle of my favorite wine. There was a note._

 _What not?_

 _All it said was "See you soon." Shit. It's Ed. I know it's Ed._

 _You sure?_

 _Who else would it be?_

 _Can you call the place that sent it? See if they have a name._

She pulled the card out of her front pocket and quickly dialed the number on the back.

"Thank you for calling _Irma's Flowers and Gifts._ How may I help you?"

"Hi, my name's Carol, and a bouquet of roses with a bottle of red wine was delivered to my house either last night or this morning.

"Oh, yes ma'am."

"Can you tell me who sent it? There was no name."

"Let me see. Um…actually, there's no name here."

"Did you see the person that placed the order?"

"No, ma'am. I didn't take that order. All I know is that the order was paid in cash yesterday afternoon." Carol felt a chill run up her spine.

"Okay. Thank you very much." She hung up, and she thought for a moment, before she searched her contacts and found Andrea Harrison's name. She answered after two rings.

"Carol? It's been a minute."

"Hi, Andrea. I'm sorry to bother you, but I have a question."

"Sure, what's up?"

"This restraining order against Ed? That includes contact of any kind?"

"Yes. Any kind. No direct contact, no phone calls, no written contact."

"So, if something were left on my doorstep from him, that would be considered breaking the restraining order."

"Yes, definitely. Carol, what happened?"

"Well, I can't prove it, but I know it's him."

"Okay?"

"There was a basket left on my front porch with a bottle of my favorite wine and a bouquet of roses. The note that was left said 'see you soon.'"

"So you're sure it's from him?"

"It couldn't be anyone else?"

"No one?"

"Well, I thought it might have been from someone, but it turns out that it wasn't. The only other option is Ed."

"Ok," Andrea said slowly.

"How difficult would it be to get security footage from the flower shop?"

"It's going to require a court order, more than likely. And it might take a while."

"Shit," Carol muttered. "I'm _sure_ it was him, Andrea."

"Did it look like his handwriting?"

"No. He probably had someone else write it."

"So you're certain it couldn't be from anyone else?"

"I don't know who it'd be, Andrea. But it's freaking me out the more I think about it."

"Okay," Andrea said slowly. "You still have your security system set up at home?"

"I arm it every time I leave the house. Every time I go to bed."

"Good. Keep doing that."

"Andrea, if it's him, it means he knows where I live. It means he's followed me home. I mean, he would know where I work." She felt the chill settle in her bones again, and she peeked over her shoulder.

"Don't panic," Andrea urged. "Look, I'm going to keep my phone on all day. I don't have to be in court until three. So if anything strange happens, I want you to call me as soon as possible. To be honest, Carol, I can't see Ed being dumb enough to come lurking around. If the wine and flowers were from him, and he does intend to violate the restraining order, then we'll catch his ass and throw him in jail."

"So you just want me to hang around like bait until he tries something?"

"What are your plans for the day?"

"I won't be home until later."

"Alright. I would suggest driving by your place around lunch. See if you see anything going on. Drive slowly, and see if you notice any strange cars or if anyone pulls out to follow you."

"And go where? Andrea, look, the last time I talked to Ed, he was…" She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "It was bad. And I don't want to see him again. I can't. I just want him out of my life, and he's already starting things…"

"You don't know that."

"Who else would it be, Andrea? Come on," she sighed. "It's Ed. I know it's Ed."

"Look, I can't go to the judge with your word. I can see about looking into the surveillance at the flower shop, but…"

"You're saying I'm basically on my own."

"No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying try not to think about it. Call me if anything else happens. Do you have someone you can stay with for a couple of days?"

"Yeah," Carol muttered. "Maybe Michonne will let me crash on her couch again. Then again, maybe I'll just check into a hotel. The fewer people I drag into this mess, the better."

"Are you ok?"

"No, not really. Not if Ed is starting his shit again."

"Ok, this is off the record, but I know a guy who knows a guy who knows Ed. Maybe I can do a little digging and see if he knows anything."

"You'll call me if you find out anything?"

"The second I do," Andrea promised. "Just try not to worry, ok?"

"You saw the texts after I left him. You really want to tell me not to worry right now?" Andrea was silent for a moment. "Andrea?"

"Call me if you need me. Don't hesitate. Ok?"

"Ok," Carol said quietly. "I have people coming in. Distractions. But I might make it an early day and get out of town for the night."

"Ok. I'll let you know if I find out anything. Be careful."

"Thanks, Andrea." Carol sighed and ended the call, finding a message from Daryl.

 _You find out anything?_

The last thing she wanted to do was worry him, and she sure as hell didn't want to bring him into this mess if it was in fact Ed messing with her. He had a family that didn't need to be involved in the mess that was her old life. But at the same time, if she'd learned anything from that marriage and from Michonne's help in getting out of it, the last thing she needed was to do this alone.

 _Not much. I have my lawyer checking into it._

 _You want me to come by? I can bring the kids, and we can keep you company._

 _No, you don't have to do that. It's probably nothing, anyway. I'm going to see a few clients, and then I'm going to get a hotel for the night._

 _A hotel? Why don't ya just come stay with me?_

 _I couldn't do that._

 _Why not?_

 _Because if Ed is messing with me, then I need to stay as far away from you and the kids as possible._

 _I'm not scared of him._

 _Well, maybe you're not, but I know what he's threatened before, and I don't want him having any excuse to come after you._

 _You make him sound like a psycho._

 _You didn't read the texts he used to send me. Daryl, I appreciate the offer, but I think I'll stick to a hotel tonight._

 _If you change your mind, give me a call. I'll leave work and come pick you up._

 _You're sweet. Thank you._

 _I'm serious. You need anything, you call me. Ok?_

 _I will. Promise._

...

"Something on your mind?" Mary asked, leaning against the kitchen counter as Daryl looked up from his phone.

"Nothin'. Just worried about someone."

"This beautiful girl you met, hmm?"

"Yeah," he muttered. "She's got some crazy ex husband that might be tryin' to start shit with her." He saw the look in his mother's eyes. "She's a good person, Ma. She don't deserve this."

"Well, if you care about her, she must be something special," Mary pointed out with a smile. "You need to go see her?"

"She's workin'. She don't want me gettin' involved 'cause of the kids."

"She sounds smart," Mary offered. "What's she going to do?"

"Not sure yet." He sighed and put his phone away.

"You're really worried about her?"

"It ain't just that," he replied, sitting down at the kitchen table. "I'm crazy about her." He felt the back of his neck grow hot, and Mary chuckled, sitting down across from him.

"Well, have you told her that?"

"I think she knows. Think she might feel the same about me."

"This _is_ getting serious. And she's ok with the situation with the children?"

"You kidding? She's great with 'em."

"Well, let me give you some advice. Don't let her get away." Daryl snorted at that. "I'm serious, Daryl. If she means that much to you, you need to tell her. Show her."

"It's movin' so fast. Don't wanna mess it up."

"Who says a good, solid relationship can't happen fast? Your father and I knew after our second date that we wanted to get married."

"Times was different then."

"Maybe so, but I think if you know what you want and you care about a person, you ought to let them know." Mary shrugged. "But what do I know? I'm just your mother." She leaned across the table and patted her son's hand. "I'm so proud of you, Daryl. And any woman that can make you happy and treat you right is ok in my book. I can't wait to meet her." She gave him a little smile before getting up and leaving him to his thoughts.

He glanced back down at his phone and chewed his bottom lip for a moment before sending Carol one more message.

 _Stop by Axel's on your way home from work. I wanna see you and know you're ok._

She responded moments later.

 _Ok. I'll see you then._

He felt slightly better, though not entirely relieved, and it took everything in him not to look up this Peletier bastard's address and go give him a much-deserved ass-kicking. But the last thing he wanted to do was make things more difficult for Carol, so he was going to do this her way. Still, that didn't mean he wasn't going to be keeping a very close eye on her. In the short while they'd known one another, Carol had already become one of the most important people in his life, and losing her was not an option.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Carol felt out of place the second she stepped into the bar. Rock music blasted over the speakers, while some tough looking guys laughingly pushed and shoved at one another over a game at the pool table. A haze of smoke hung low in the air, and Carol held her breath as she crossed toward the bar. She could feel eyes on her, dressed in her dark jeans and her nice blouse.

The blonde guy with long hair behind the counter was giving her the eye as she walked over, and she thought about turning around and leaving, but she spotted Daryl coming out of the back with a couple of bottles of whisky. He didn't see her before turning and heading back to the back, so she made her way up to the bar.

"Hey there, gorgeous," the man said with a slight southern twang. "You come here alone?"

"I'm here to see someone," she replied quickly, gripping her purse tightly in her hand.

"You don't look the type to be meeting any of these boys," he replied with a chuckle. "Name's Axel. This here's my establishment."

"I'm Carol," she offered back.

"The Carol? Hell, why didn't ya say so? Hey, _Daryl_!"

"Yeah?" Daryl hollered from the back.

"Your girlfriend's here to see ya!" Carol blushed at some stranger calling her something she wasn't even sure she was, though she sure as hell felt like it when they were together.

"What?"

"I said, your girlfriend's here!" Axel hollered, as the music came to a stop. Everybody turned, and Carol felt her face get hot. "Uh, just get out here, Dixon!" Daryl came stepping out, pushing his shaggy hair back and out of his eyes.

"Hey," he muttered, putting two more whisky bottles under the bar. "Axel, I'm takin' a break."

"You just took a break."

"Yeah, well, I'm takin' another. You gonna fire me tonight, when I'm the only help you got?"

"You got me there," Axel smirked. "Call Rhee and tell him to get his ass in here."

"He's got the flu. Won't hurt you to put in a little extra work, boss." Axel shook his head and looked at Carol.

"You really put up with this asshole?"

"Maybe if you gave him better hours so he could be with his kids most nights, he wouldn't be such an asshole to you," Carol offered with a smirk.

"Oh, I like her," Axel laughed. "Hold onto that one, Dixon."

"Plan on it," Daryl replied, "Ten minutes?"

"Hell, take twenty. We're slow enough." Daryl nodded at that, took Carol's hand and led her out back to the alley behind the bar. It was surprisingly tidy for being the backside of a seedy little bar.

"So, this is where you text me from every night?"

"Most of the time," he said with a nod. "I gotta find a better job." He gave her hand a squeeze. "You ok?"

"Yeah. Everything was fine. I did what Andrea asked. I went home at lunch, but nobody followed me. I didn't see anything. Maybe I'm just crazy. I mean, somebody else might have sent them."

"Any old exes that might still be carryin' a torch?"

"No," Carol said with a shake of her head. "Not that I could imagine. I mean, Ed was the first guy I was ever really serious about. And look how that turned out." She rolled her eyes, and she squeezed Daryl's hand.

"I wish ya'd let me take you home tonight."

"I can't let this get to me, Daryl. I'm staying in town tonight, but I can't let the idea that Ed _might_ be coming around keep me from living my life. And if he _is,_ I don't want you getting hurt. "

"He ain't gonna hurt me." Daryl pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his back pocket. He grabbed one and lit it up, taking a long, slow drag.

"Well, I'm ok," Carol promised. "I'll have the anonymity of a random hotel room tonight. As for home, I'm not afraid to grab the baseball bat I keep under my bed and knock someone silly if they try to get in my house."

"You keep a bat under your bed?"

"Yeah. I, uh, I keep a knife under my mattress. I started doing that shortly after I left Ed."

"Shit."

"Yeah. Some of the texts he sent me were…I mean…" She bit her lip. "And it wasn't just texts."

"It wasn't?"

"He sent me a couple of letters. But they were typed, and there was no way to prove they were sent by him. But I knew it."

"What'd he say?"

"Basically? He told me exactly what he wanted to do to me, how he wanted to kill me."

"Christ. And he ain't in jail?"

"They couldn't pin it on him. Just the texts. Those were bad enough, but those letters…" She felt a chill run up her spine. "I'm told he had to go to mandatory counseling, and if he steps a toe out of line…or even attempts to contact me, he's going to jail."

"There's got to be a way to pin this on him."

"I don't know." She ran her fingers through her hair and took a shaky breath. Daryl finished his cigarette and tossed it down, dragging the toe of his shoe across the ground to put out the burn.

"Look, I ain't told Axel yet, but I put in for a position at a garage across town. Pay's a little more, hours are early, and that'd give me more time with the kids. If I get it, I'm gettin' outta this place. And I'd like ya to think about stayin' with me for a while."

"Like move in?" Carol asked quirking an eyebrow.

"Just 'til we know this shit ain't comin' from Ed."

"No," Carol said with a shake of her head.

"No?"

"I'm not going to put you and the kids in the middle of this. I care about you, Daryl. So much. And the kids…and I just…I couldn't forgive myself if something happened to them." She brought her hand to her chest. "I appreciate that you want to help, but you _don't_ know Ed. I do. I know what he's capable of, and…"

"That son of a bitch comes near you, I'll kill him."

"Don't say that. Please." She brought her hand to his cheek. "I don't want you getting hurt or doing anything to risk losing the kids." She stepped toward him and brought her arms around his neck. "Please promise me you won't do something stupid." She felt Daryl's arms curl around her, and she buried her face against his neck. "Promise me."

"Alright. Alright," he murmured, squeezing her in a hug. "I can leave early."

"Really?" Carol snorted. "Your boss looks like he's in over his head in there."

"Fuck him," Daryl snorted. "You're more important to me."

"Well, you need a job," Carol chuckled. "So please don't go losing that because of me. I'll text you as soon as I get to the hotel." Daryl pulled back a little and looked at her. "I promise."

"Alright," Daryl muttered, leaning in to kiss her. "You sure you're gonna be ok?"

"Now I am," she teased, kissing him again. Daryl chuckled against her mouth, and he brought his hands down a little further. She gently nipped at his bottom lip, and he gave her ass a squeeze. "You could always come by after work though. You know, to keep me company." She batted her eyelashes at him.

"Fuck, now you're killin' me." Carol's hands moved up his muscular chest under his shirt, and she giggled when his stomach muscles jumped. "We gonna do this out here? 'Cause I'm tellin' ya, it wouldn't be the worst place I've done it." Carol laughed then, and he chuckled when she buried her face against his neck.

"Yeah, we're not doing this here," she laughed, giving him another kiss. "I'd prefer our first time to be somewhere that smells a little less like garbage."

"No garbage. Gotcha," he muttered, giving her ass one more firm squeeze. "Let me walk you to your car, at least?"

"Yeah. Ok." He let go of her, and she reached for his hand, giving it a squeeze as they walked back into the bar. Some of the drunk regulars catcalled and whistled when they saw Daryl walking hand in hand with her.

"Hey, Daryl! She got a sister?" one of them asked, before Daryl told him to fuck off, and Carol shook her head as they stepped out front where her car was parked.

"Sorry 'bout them."

"They're harmless drunks," Carol replied with a shrug. "Now, thanks to your boss, they think I'm your girlfriend."

"So?" Daryl offered with a shrug, pawing at her waist as he backed her up against her car.

"So, is that ok?"

"Ok with me," he replied. "Ok with you?"

"Yeah," she offered, biting her lower lip as Daryl leaned in again, kissing her neck. She tilted her head slightly. "So is that what I am? Your girlfriend?"

"If ya wanna be. I mean, I know you weren't exactly lookin' for somethin', but…"

"I wasn't looking for what I used to have," she pointed out. "But that has _nothing_ to do with this." Daryl pulled back to look at her, watching the way her lips twitched in a smile. "And whatever happens with this…with us? I'm game." Daryl grinned at that. "So, yeah, I think I'm ok with this." She sighed softly when he leaned down to kiss her, and she pulled her arms around him, hugging him close.

"Good," Daryl murmured. "'Cause I sure as hell don't want nobody else."

"Good," she echoed. "Neither do I." She kissed him once more, and then he pulled away.

"I gotta get back. I wanna see you tomorrow."

"Ok," she smiled. "You work?"

"Yeah, but I'm gonna come see you."

"That sounds….nice." She smiled. "Call me?"

"Yeah. Call you when I get home. You'll be up?"

"Probably. I'm quite the night owl lately, thanks to you and your dirty talk."

"If I'm rememberin' right, _you_ and your dirty mouth were what started it all."

"If I remember right, _you_ started it back at your place."

"Think I finished it, actually." Carol blushed at the meaning behind his words. "Least _you_ finished."

"Hey," Carol pouted.

"I ain't complainin'. You were beautiful." He leaned in and kissed her once again. "You better get outta here before one of these assholes comes out here and tries to take you home.'

"Good idea," she laughed. "I'll talk to you tonight."

"Yeah." She stood on her tiptoes, kissed him quickly and ducked into her car. She gave him a little wave and a wink before she started toward home, and she was pretty certain she had a smile on her face the whole way, all of her worries about Ed pushed to the wayside for now. She was happy, and she couldn't hide that. She wouldn't. She was just happy she'd found someone that actually cared about her, that wanted her safe and happy. She couldn't believe she'd wasted so much time with a man who thought so little of her, a man who thought of her as a possession and not as a wife. She would _never_ make that mistake again, and she knew that with Daryl, she'd never have to worry for a moment that he didn't care. She felt it in his touch, in his kisses, in the way he looked at her. This was love. She didn't even have to hear it. She just knew.

...

Lucky was ready to go out when Carol got home, so she took him out into the yard to do his business and then headed inside to lock up pack up a few things for the night. She grabbed a couple bones for Lucky as well as a small bag of dog food and a bowl. She put everything in the car, tossed her suitcase in, locked up and set the alarm.

She'd made a reservation at a nice hotel downtown, one with several floors and hundreds of rooms, and she was honestly just looking forward to a quiet night alone where nobody but Daryl knew where she was.

One she got checked in and found her room on the fourteenth floor, she put a bowl down for Lucky and gave him his supper. She texted Daryl to let him know where she was staying. She ordered room service, and while she waited, she pulled out her phone and scrolled through her social media timeline. There were a few posts from Michonne and pictures Rick had put up of her captioned _"my beautiful girlfriend_."

She also saw where Daryl had made some post earlier that day about Charlie as well as posting a photo of Jack with what was almost a full-blown smile. The caption was "the look when Grandma came to see him." Carol's heart warmed. Daryl had followed up that post with a few pictures of the kids with his mother, and she couldn't help but want to meet this woman. She was so grateful to her for raising Daryl to be the man that he was.

A message popped up on her profile. It was from Michonne.

 _Everything ok?_

She'd talked to Michonne about everything earlier, and she knew her friend was eager to find out what was going on.

 _So far so good. Nothing else weird going on._

 _Hear anything more from Andrea?_

 _Not yet._

 _You get checked in?_

 _Yeah. Lucky's with me. I've got room service coming up._

 _Nice. You talk to Daryl?_

 _I stopped by the bar. He wants me to stay with him for a while._

 _That's not the worst idea I've ever heard._

 _You're kidding, right? Come on, you know how much getting my own place and having my independence meant to me._

 _Well, he could stay with you then. I mean, you shouldn't have to be afraid to be in your own house. Ed's such an asshole._

 _I agree with you, but I can't let him get to me. It's gonna be ok, Mich. He slips up, and he's going to jail. He knows that._

 _But he's fucking crazy._

 _He might be crazy, but he's not dumb enough to do something that's going to get him caught._

 _Maybe not yet, but jealousy can make a person do stupid things. He was obsessed with you. That's not gonna go away overnight._

 _You're right, but it's been a while, Michonne. It's been quiet._

 _The calm before the storm?_

 _Oh, stop! Come on. You're supposed to make me feel better._

 _Sorry. Sorry. I'm just worried about you._

 _I'll be ok. But thank you for caring. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be where I am today. You're my best friend, Mich._

 _Ok, don't get sappy on me._

 _Ha. Ok, I think room service is here. I'm about to devour an entire pizza. And I'm not going to feel ashamed about it at all."_

 _"Good. Enjoy that substitute for sex._

 _Michonne!_

 _Hey, I'm just telling it like it is. You get extra pepperoni?_

 _Of course._

 _Good. Eat a piece for me. Love you._

 _Love you too. Good night, Michonne._


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"How'd it go?" Carol asked, propping her feet up at her work station and taking a break before her next family came in for portraits.

"It's all done," Daryl replied with a sigh of relief. "It's a done deal. The papers are signed. They're…mine. It feels weird to say that. I'm officially their dad."

"You've always been their dad," Carol murmured quietly. "And I know you feel funny about that, but it's true. You stepped up when your brother didn't. You put them first, and that's what they're gonna see."

"We're celebratin' tonight. I want ya to be there."

"You got off work?"

"Axel told me to take the whole night off. I got some friends coming. Glenn from work and his wife Maggie. And my mom's gonna be there. I want her to meet you. I want ya to be there." Carol took a deep breath, feeling her heart flutter in her chest.

It had been over a week since the flowers and wine showed up on her porch, and literally nothing had come of it. Even Andrea and her digging couldn't come up with anything. If Ed was responsible, nobody knew about it, and if they knew about it, they weren't talking. But Daryl had made sure to call Carol every night to check on her, and he'd even come over to just hang out with the kids a couple of times. It felt strange having a family under her room, but what felt stranger was when they left for the night and the house was quiet again. She was starting to enjoy the chaos of having Daryl and two little ones around.

"You want me to meet your mother?" Carol asked softly.

"Only if ya want to. I mean, you don't have to, but…"

"No, I want to," Carol chuckled. "I'd love to meet her." She worried her lip between her teeth. "I'm just a little worried, I guess."

"Why?"

"Because, I mean, it's your mother. It's pretty important that she likes me."

"She's gonna love you," Daryl snorted. "Hell, she already told me she likes ya, and that's just from the stuff I've told her."

"Well, I hope I can live up to the expectations you've created," Carol snorted.

"Stop," Daryl snorted. "If she's half as crazy about ya as I am, then you're good."

"You're sweet," Carol sighed. "And I'm so happy for you, Daryl. I'm happy for the kids. I'm just glad the court appointments are over, that you don't have to worry about that stuff now. Now you can start really planning for the future."

"Yeah," Daryl murmured softly. "Got a call from that garage today. I'm goin' for an interview before work tomorrow."

"Good," Carol sighed. "That would be so much better for you."

"I, uh, I'm also thinkin' of sellin' this place, gettin' somethin' bigger."

"Oh," Carol offered softly. "Yeah. That might not be a bad idea." She smiled a little at the thought of him being in a place where he could start planning without worry that it was all going to fall out from under him.

"Find some place outta the city, maybe. What do you think?"

"I think if that's what you want, you should go for it."

"I just wanna know what _you_ think. You know, 'cause you're gonna be comin' there a lot, and I want ya to like it there."

"Oh, I see," Carol teased. "Well, I love the quiet of the country."

"Me too," Daryl agreed. "So you're comin' tonight?"

"What time?"

"How's six?"

"Six sounds good. I'm taking tomorrow off, so I can sleep in tomorrow." The idea of it sounded wonderful, but she knew she'd probably be wide awake at sunrise.

"You wanna stay over tonight?" he asked. Carol's breath caught in her throat. They hadn't done that yet. Hell, they had barely touched one another since that night at his place, but that was on account of their busy schedules and the fact that when they were together, the children were usually there.

"Stay over?" she asked.

"Yeah. I mean, I'd sleep on the couch. Just sayin', you can stay, and maybe we can all have breakfast in the morning."

"Oh," Carol grinned. "So you want me to stay so we can have breakfast in the morning? That sounds innocent enough."

"Won't be that innocent," he smirked.

"Oh, okay, well, I'm feeling more convinced. I'll go home and change, and I'll bring Lucky."

"Good. Can't wait to see ya."

"Me neither," Carol murmured. "To be honest, I'm a little nervous."

"Why?" Daryl asked quietly. "Ya don't have to stay if ya don't want to."

"I want to. It scares me how much I want to."

"We don't gotta do anything you ain't ready for." How did he always know the exact perfect thing to say?

"I know," she murmured. "I'll be there tonight."

"You still workin'?"

"Yeah. One more session, and then I'm heading home."

"Alright. Be careful."

"Always," Carol promised. "See you soon." She hung up the phone and found herself grinning like crazy. Her face felt warm, and she knew she was blushing, but she didn't care. Just hearing his voice made her heart flutter, and now she was about to meet his mother, the woman that raised him to be the man he was, and she didn't want to make a bad impression.

With a shaky breath, she got up and busied herself before her next clients came in, but all she could think about was how she was ready to get home and get ready for tonight. And staying over at his place for the night was not far from her thoughts. This was going to be new, and if she knew herself as well as she thought she did, tonight might be _the_ night. And at this point, she knew she wanted him, knew she wanted to build something with him, and the intimacy just felt like the natural next step. Still, she was nervous. She hadn't been with anyone in a very long time, and opening herself up to him and being that vulnerable was a worrisome thought. But she trusted him. She knew he cared for her, and she knew that he wasn't going to hurt her.

Still, the past had its way of coming up in her thoughts when she least wanted it to. Tonight, she didn't want to think about that. She just wanted to focus on Daryl and this family and this amazing feeling she had when she was with them. They felt like home, and that was new and beautiful at the same time. Still, there was something that kept nagging at the back of her mind. Those flowers. That bottle of wine. The note. She couldn't help but let her mind wander back to that, but she quickly shook it off. She wasn't going to let Ed or the idea of Ed ruin her evening. She was moving on, and she was ready to face the future and not look back.

...

"You must be Carol! Oh, honey, I've heard so much about you!" Mary Dixon wrapped Carol in a friendly hug, and Carol's eyebrows shot up. Daryl smirked at her from behind his mother, and Carol hugged Mary back.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Dixon."

"Please, call me Mary," she insisted. "Okay, let me look at you." She pulled back and nodded as if in approval, and Carol blushed. "Just as pretty as he told me you were. Come in. Come on in." Mary turned and moved past her son, and Daryl stopped by Carol, giving her hand a squeeze and kissing her softly.

"You ok?" he whispered.

"Yeah."

"Relax. She already loves ya." He kissed her again and took Lucky's leash from her. "I'll take him out back."

"Thank you," she whispered, though the look on her face begged him not to leave her alone with his mother for too long. She was horrified she might say something inappropriate, because she hadn't met a man's mother in a long, long time.

"So, Daryl tells me you're a photographer," Mary began, beckoning Carol to the kitchen. "You want something to drink?"

"Water's fine," Carol said with a smile. "And yes. I have a studio downtown. I mostly do family portraits. But I take other photos in my downtime. One of these days, I'm hoping to put together a coffee table book or something."

"That sounds nice," Mary offered. "You travel?"

"Not much. It's mostly local stuff," Carol replied with a little nod, accepting a bottle of water from Mary. "I would love to see the country though. That's one of my dreams. One day, I just want to take a trip across the country and see the sights."

"That sounds wonderful," Mary said with a sigh. "That might be difficult to do with a small family, though." Carol's smile faltered, and Mary laughed. "I'm just kidding, honey. You look so nervous."

"I am a little nervous." They sat down together at the table.

"Daryl tells me you got out of a pretty bad marriage last year."

"It was bad," Carol confirmed, "but it's over, and I'm happier now than I've ever been." She blushed. "I mean, meeting Daryl has been a good thing for me."

"I think you've both been good for each other. I haven't seen him this happy in a long time. Before you came along, he was almost sleepwalking through life."

"I know he was worried about the adoption."

"He's been cleaning up after his brother for a long time," Mary murmured. "Those babies are the best thing that ever could have happened to Merle, and still, look where he ended up." She shook her head. "Daryl's done wonderful with them, but I really sensed a change in him around the time, I think, he met you." Carol blushed at Mary's words, and Daryl stepped into the kitchen.

"What're you two talkin' about?"

"Oh, nothing," Mary chuckled. "So, why have you been hiding this one from me?"

"Ma," Daryl muttered, "I ain't been hidin' nobody." Mary laughed then and shook her head.

"Wow, you two are wound up so tight," she laughed. "Who wants wine?"

"What's gotten into you, Ma?" Daryl asked, as Mary moved to the cupboards and found three wine glasses.

"I think we have a lot to celebrate, don't you?" she asked, as Daryl moved over to stand behind Carol. He put his hands on her shoulders, and she moved her hand up to hold his.

"Yeah," Daryl agreed, glancing down at Carol. "We sure do."

...

After a glass and a half of wine, Carol was feeling much more relaxed, and Daryl had had half a glass before he fired up the grill. She was standing close to him, while Mary held baby Jack, and Charlie chased after Lucky in the yard.

It was a beautiful day. Sunny, warm, and there was just the slightest hint of chill in the air that made the hot sun bearable. The nice days were coming to an end, and the cool fall was upon them, but for now, they were enjoying what they had while it was there.

"Remind me to tell you about the time I caught Daryl looking at one of his father's magazines."

"Ma," Daryl groaned, as Carol laughed and nudged his shoulder. "Come on."

"He was so embarrassed. He wouldn't look at me for a week."

"Ok, story time's over," Daryl muttered, flipping the burgers over on the grill.

"Aw, come on," Carol teased. "I like hearing this stuff." She turned to Mary. "Was that around the same time Merle gave him the unfortunate haircut?"

"Oh, I can't believe he told you about that!" Mary laughed.

"He showed me a picture."

"Oh. We had that one on the mantle for a while," Mary teased.

"Ma, come on. Christ, that wasn't even my fault."

"Well, I'm the one that wanted to take you to the barber to fix it."

"Didn't want nobody touchin' my hair after that." Carol laughed then and moved to sit next to Mary on the porch. They'd all sat around and talked for a while, and Mary had of course asked Carol about her family, which wasn't the easiest story to re-tell, but Mary seemed very understanding and compassionate. Carol even learned a few things about Daryl and his family that she hadn't known before.

By the time the burgers were done and everybody was settled at the picnic table with Jack close by in his swing, everybody was having a pretty good time. Charlie was thrilled to have so many people around, and by the time Daryl's friend Glenn and his wife Maggie showed up with their young son Gabe, she was excited at the prospect of having a playmate for the evening.

"Nice to meet you," Maggie offered, shaking Carol's hand and giving her a bright smile. "Daryl's told us almost nothing about you."

"Yeah, dude, you don't even post pictures of each other on your profile? What's up with that?" Glenn joked. Daryl nudged him in the ribs. "Oh, sorry. You're not there yet. It's cool. Carol, I had no idea what to expect, because Daryl's a man of few words. It's nice to meet you, and you can do so much better." He greeted Carol with a warm hug, and she laughed as Daryl rolled his eyes. Carol found it charming that Daryl had kept the details of their relationship private from his friends for now. The most telling was how he had apparently gushed to his mother about her recently, because Mary had come loaded with questions for her that day. And she saw the blush in his cheeks when Glenn whispered something to him.

"Who's this little guy?" Carol asked, as Maggie put Gabe down at the table next to Charlie. Daryl seemed thankful for the distraction. Carol was more than happy to oblige, considering she wasn't exactly prepared for his friends to put their relationship under a microscope. But they seemed sweet and harmless, and she could tell they both thought highly of Daryl and were good enough friends to know when a little teasing was permitted.

"This is Gabe," Glenn said proudly, patting his son's head. Gabe looked up with a big grin before grabbing for one of Charlie's toys. "You have any children?"

"No," Carol offered with a shake of her head. "I've got Lucky. He's like a baby sometimes." Maggie laughed at that.

"Yeah, Maggie won't let us get a dog. I keep telling her every boy should have a dog growing up, but she won't listen."

"Oh, shut up," Maggie snorted. "You're the one with the pet allergy. Don't pin that on me just because I don't want to listen to you sneeze all day." She swatted her husband on the arm, and he leaned over to kiss her cheek. Carol grinned, and she caught Daryl staring at her, watching his eyes darken, and she felt a chill run up her spine.

"Shit, I forgot somethin'," Daryl muttered. He glanced at Carol. "You wanna help me with somethin'?"

"Sure," Carol offered, taking his hand. He led her into the house, and they got halfway down the hall toward the living room before Daryl turned, gently backed her into the wall and leaned in to kiss her. She obliged, giggling against his mouth before he pulled back.

"Sorry. Been wantin' to do that since you got here," he muttered, kissing her again.

"Is this what you forgot?"

"Hmm."

"They're gonna be looking at you like you grew another head when we come back empty handed, you know."

"Yeah, but it's worth it," Daryl replied, kissing her again, letting his hands wander down her hips, tugging her closer.

"You better stop," she panted, as his lips moved to her neck. She gasped softly and bit her bottom lip. "Oh….okay." She laughed when he pulled her closer, moving his hands to her ass, and while she quite liked it when he got like this, she knew that if he kept going, she wouldn't be able to stop, and they _had_ to stop or risk getting caught.

Daryl sensed her tensing up, and he backed off, but he rested his forehead against hers.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"Don't apologize for that," she laughed. "Save room for dessert."

"There's gonna be dessert?" he asked, a hopeful quirk to his voice. Carol laughed then, and he smiled. God, he loved that sound.

"If you play your cards right, there will be." She kissed them then, soft and sweet, running her hand gently along his jaw.

"Damn, how'd I get so lucky?" he murmured, as Carol took his hand and led him back toward the patio doors. She gave his hand a squeeze, flashed him that dazzling smile, and she grabbed a bottle of wine.

"We can't go out empty handed, can we?" There was that smile again, and damn it, he knew in that moment he was going to spend the rest of his life trying to make her smile just like that.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Daryl and Glenn started cleaning up, while Maggie, Carol and Mary watched Charlie and Gabe play with Lucky. Carol excused herself for a few minutes, and she returned with a small camera she'd put in her purse on her way out the door that evening. It was a more casual camera, and sometimes it took some of her favorite pictures.

"Oh, I didn't even think of that," Mary murmured.

"I thought Daryl might want to remember this, you know?" Carol offered. "It's not every day you officially become a dad." She crouched down on the ground and snapped a photo of Charlie with Lucky.

"Thank you for thinking of that," Mary whispered. "That's so sweet." She peered over at the baby swing, where Jack was awake and sucking on his fingers. "Looks like somebody's ready for his close up." Carol chuckled and stepped over to kneel in front of the swing. She got some great photos of Jack and his big, blue eyes, before Mary walked Charlie over. "Stand next to Jackie."

"Brother!" Charlie squealed. She grinned as she pushed at the swing gently like Daryl had taught her, and Carol snapped a few more great pictures. "Gamma!"

"You want Grandma with you, hmmm?" Mary asked. Charlie nodded excitedly, and

Mary came to kneel next to Charlie. She pulled Jack into her arms, and Carol smiled as she snapped a few more pictures.

"What's goin' on out here?" Daryl asked, as Carol stood up and turned to face him.

"Picture time," she smiled. "Get in there."

"Naw…"

"Go on. You're going to want to remember this," she urged. "Go on." Charlie giggled and held her arms up, urging Daryl to pick her up, which he did, and he even smiled for the camera. Carol managed to get some pretty adorable pictures of Daryl with both kids, and when Maggie stepped over, she turned toward her.

"Why don't you get in there?"

"What?" Carol asked.

"You should be in some of these."

"No…no, it wouldn't be right," Carol said with a shake of her head. "This is their day. I'm just…"

"Daryl's girlfriend," Maggie pointed out. "Go on." Carol shook her head again, and she put the camera down.

"Cawol!" Charlie chirped, reaching for Carol and wriggling in Daryl's arms.

"Whoa, kid. Calm down," Daryl laughed, as Carol hurried over and scooped Charlie up.

"You're a little daredevil," she laughed. Charlie rested her head on Carol's shoulder, and Daryl came over, putting his arm around her.

"Thanks," he murmured. "Never even thought about pictures today."

"It's why I do what I do. People want to remember these kinds of things." Daryl leaned in to kiss her then, and a flash went off. They both turned in surprise to see Maggie holding the camera. Carol's jaw dropped, and Maggie shrugged innocently.

"We can delete that one," Carol offered.

"No we ain't," Daryl replied, getting a victory fist pump in the air from Maggie. "I wanna remember this, too." He gently touched her chin and tilted her face toward his and kissed her again. "Wanna remember everything." Carol smiled against his lips, feeling her face grow warm when she heard whisperings coming from the groups. But when she felt his hand against the small of her back, she relaxed a little and let herself enjoy this moment.

When Jack began to fuss, Mary took him and bounced him gently in her arms.

"Here, I'll take him," Daryl offered, stepping away from Carol and reaching out for the little guy.

"Nonsense. He wants his grandma. Right, Jack?" Jack continued to fuss, and Mary shook her head. "So stubborn." She kissed the top of his head and held him up, resting his head against her shoulder so she could pat his little back.

"Let me help you, Mary," Carol offered, following her into the house. They stepped into the kitchen, and Mary swayed back and forth with Jack, while Carol prepared a bottle.

"He gets hungry around this time of night," Carol said with a little chuckle . "Of course you know that."

"I'm glad you know that too," Mary offered with a smile. "I'm glad you're spending time with them. The way Daryl looks at you? I don't think he's going to want to let you go."

"Who says I'm going anywhere?"

"Nobody," Mary chuckled. "Honey, you have to relax. I'm just saying, a lot of women your age are just looking to settle down and start a family. With Daryl, you have an instant family, and that could be intimidating." Carol looked at Mary for a moment, feeling her heart speeding up a little. Her mouth felt dry, and she realized she was walking into uncomfortable territory.

"It's not to me," Carol offered. "You don't have to worry. I don't plan on going anywhere."

"You're a good woman, Carol," Mary offered, as Carol handed her the baby's bottle. "My grandbabies have had a pretty rough start in life. Daryl's made it easier for them. But the last thing I want is for him or them to get hurt because somebody fell too fast and somebody else wasn't ready." And here it was. She liked Mary, but she had sort of been waiting for her to lower the boom on her, and suddenly, Carol was wishing she'd had at least one more glass of wine for this.

"I don't mean any disrespect, Mary, but I think it's a little early to be talking about…about that."

"Is it?"

"I…"

"Maybe he hasn't said it yet, but I think my son fell for you before I even knew about you. I know you've been hurt in the past, and I'd slap my son upside the head if he ever hurt you like that."

"I think I'd be the first in line for that," Carol laughed, getting a grin from Mary. "Look, Mary, I'm happy. We're happy." She looked away and then glanced back at Daryl's mother.

"You've been married before."

"I have."

"Daryl's never even had a serious relationship. Well, as far as I know. I know he doesn't tell me everything, but I know in the past couple of years, he's been pretty busy with working and taking care of Charlie. Now Charlie and Jack." Carol nodded. She took a deep breath and leaned back against the counter, running her fingers through her hair.

"My marriage wasn't anything like what I expected it to be. It turned into something possessive and ugly, and I'm glad I got out. In retrospect, there were signs in the beginning, but my ex-husband was a pretty good actor. He could make you see what he wanted you to see, and he was good at hiding things from me. The longer we were married, the more things started to fall apart. I guess he just got lazy about covering them up. I guess the more suspicious I became, the more desperate he became to hold onto me and our sham of a marriage." Mary shook her head.

"I can't imagine being with a man like that. My marriage wasn't perfect, but he treated me right, and he wanted the best for our boys." Carol nodded. "How did you get out?"

"My best friend helped me. She helped me get out, helped me start over. A year ago, I never would have thought I'd be where I am today. It feels good." Her smile faltered. "In the beginning, I told him I wasn't interested in getting married again. I mean, I gave him that 'never say never' speech, but I think in the beginning, I really didn't think I wanted that again."

"And now?"

"Now? I think he could propose to me tonight and I'd say yes. And it scares me, because I told myself I would never let myself fall this fast for somebody." She froze. "Oh God. Can you pretend you didn't hear that? I haven't even said this to Daryl yet, and…"

"Your secret's safe with me," Mary laughed. "For what it's worth, honey, I don't think he expected to fall for you, either, but I think it happened sooner than both of you think. But whatever happens, I think you're both pretty lucky to have found each other." Carol couldn't help but feel the tears sting her eyes, and she took a shaky breath. "How was that?"

"How was what?" Carol asked.

"How was that for my 'what are your intentions with my son' speech?"

"That's what that was?"

"Well, I've never had one of those before. Do you really think Merle ever brought a woman home to meet his mom? Please."

"Oh," Carol chuckled. "Well, I think it…it went well."

"Good," Mary laughed before heaving a sigh of relief. She looked down to little Jack, who hungrily suckled at the bottle she was feeding him. "I'm so glad that's over." She looked up at Carol and smiled. "Here, honey. Why don't you finish feeding him, and I'll go kiss my granddaughter goodnight."

"Oh, you're leaving?"

"It was so nice to meet you, but I should be going. I've got a busy morning tomorrow, and I can tell my son would rather his guests leave sooner rather than later. You're the exception."

"Oh," Carol blushed. "You really don't have to go." Mary took away Jack's bottle, and he fussed for a moment as she passed him to Carol, but the second Carol had the bottle back up to his lips, he was content and continued to eat.

"Look at that," Mary murmured.

"Hmm?" Carol asked, smiling down at Jack before looking back to Mary.

"You're a natural." Mary patted her hand before she turned and headed out to say her goodbyes. Carol headed out, too, gently rocking Jack as she fed him. She watched Mary give her son a hug and then pick up Charlie for a hug and a kiss. She smiled as she watched Charlie giggle and laugh as Mary passed her back over to Daryl. This was the kind of family she'd always wanted. Losing her parents had been the hardest thing she'd ever gone through, and then Ed seemed to come along and made her world feel good again for a while. Then that fell apart, and she'd come to accept that maybe a family wasn't in her future. But standing there in the back yard with a baby in her arms and watching her boyfriend with his little girl and his mother, she felt like this was what was waiting for her all along. This was what made all the hell she'd gone through worth it. Perhaps she was supposed to meet Daryl at the exact time that she did, at that exact point in her life, at the exact point in his life where he was struggling with coming to terms with being a full time father to his niece and nephew.

There she went again, falling just a little bit harder and a little bit faster. She felt dizzy and warm and happy, and when Daryl caught her staring, she blushed, and she looked down to see Jack had finished his bottle.

"Good job, Champ," she cooed, stepping back into the house and putting the bottle down on the counter. She held Jack close, patting his back as she walked to the nursery, and after he gave her a couple of good burps, she put him down in his crib. She could hear someone step into the room behind her, and when she felt his hands on her waist before he pulled his arms around her and kissed the back of her neck, she leaned back into him, closed her eyes and smiled. "Your guests are going to wonder where we've gone."

"Charlie and Gabe have 'em runnin' around. They probably don't know I'm gone." Carol chuckled, and she moaned softly when Daryl kissed the back of her neck.

"Ok, not in front of the baby."

"He's sleepin'."

"I don't care," she laughed, turning in his arms to kiss him properly.

"You and mom were inside for a while. Everything ok?"

"Yeah," she laughed. "She's great."

"I think she loves you," Daryl snorted. "I'm pretty sure she's gonna be inviting you over to supper and forgetting all about me."

"Oh, poor baby," Carol pouted. "It's been a long time since I've met someone's mom."

"My mom's pretty cool."

"She is," Carol laughed. "I was a little worried for a minute, but I think she approves."

"Good, 'cause I really didn't wanna have to end things on account of her," he joked.

"Shut up, jerk," Carol laughed, playfully slapping his arm.

"I think she's just happy I got you. I mean, I'm happy. Are you happy?"

"Very," Carol grinned, kissing him again. His tongue swept over her lips, and she opened up to him, and she giggled when his hand moved down to squeeze her ass. "Okay, not _that_ happy. We still have guests."

"We. See, now I like the sound of that." Carol squeezed out from between him and the crib, and she felt him reach out and take her hand. "I'm glad ya came tonight."

"Me too. I had a lot of fun." She heard Charlie giggling from the kitchen, and she nodded her head. "Looks like we're not alone. C'mon." She gave his hand a squeeze, and they left the nursery to find Glenn, Maggie and the little ones in the living room.

"Anybody want a beer?" Daryl offered.

"We should be getting home," Glenn said with a shake of his head. "Thanks for having us over."

"Yes, thank you," Maggie replied with a smile, reaching out to give Daryl a hug. "Congratulations. I'm happy for you, Daryl."

"Thanks," Daryl murmured, as he reached down and picked up Charlie.

"Carol, it was so nice to meet you," Maggie gushed, pulling her into a hug. Carol smiled, and she got another hug from Glenn right after.

"We'll have to do this again soon," Glenn offered, rubbing his eyes.

"You ok?" Carol asked.

"He was playing with the puppy," Maggie sighed. "I told you not to do that. Now we have to make another trip to the store for your allergy meds." Glenn rolled his eyes. "I saw that. Seriously, sometimes it's like I have _two_ kids." Carol laughed then, and Glenn shook his head.

"She's not a dog person. Tragically, my allergies don't care that I _am_."

"Oh, poor you," Maggie said with a dramatic sigh, scooping Gabe up into her arms. "Gabe, tell Charlie bye-bye." Gabe waved at Charlie, and Charlie waved back before burying her face against Daryl's shoulder.

"Thanks for coming, guys." Daryl and Carol walked out with them and stood out on the porch until they backed out and drove away. It was quiet now, and Carol glanced at Daryl, and she felt those familiar butterflies returning.

The sun was low enough now that the street lights were coming on, and when they stepped back into the house, Daryl flipped on the television to illuminate the dim room.

"You want somethin' else to drink?"

"Mmm, another glass of wine would be nice," she offered, feeling her fingers trembling as Daryl reached out and gave her hand a squeeze. "I can get it."

"Alright," he nodded. "I'm gonna get Charlie ready for bed. You ok?"

"Mmm," she hummed, giving him a nervous smile before she turned and walked into the kitchen.

Daryl cut bath time short for Charlie, letting her play for five minutes until she had to get washed and dried off. By the time she was in her pajamas, she was already dozing off as Daryl carried her to her room. By the time she was tucked into her bed and the nightlight was turned on, she was fast asleep. Daryl closed her bedroom door, checked on Jack and grabbed the baby monitor before returning to the living room, where Carol was now seated on the couch with a glass of wine in her hand.

"She's sleeping?" Carol asked, scooting over so he could sit down next to her.

"Yeah," Daryl murmured. "Out like a light." The light from the TV cast shadows on her face, and he couldn't quite read her when she looked up at him. "You sure you're ok?"

"I'm ok," she promised, drinking the last sip of wine and putting the glass on the coffee table. Daryl pulled his arm around her shoulders. "A little nervous."

"Me too, but I told ya before, we don't gotta do nothin' you ain't ready for." Carol nodded, and she felt her heart begin to race. She couldn't help but think back to her conversation with Daryl's mother where she'd all but admitted she was in love with him. She knew it was true, but saying those words out loud, especially getting up the courage to say them to him, it was something she was having trouble wrapping her head around. It wasn't that she didn't feel it. It was that when she did say it, she wanted to be sure that he felt the same thing, too. Though when he looked at her, especially when he looked at her the way he was looking at her now, she knew he felt it too. Still, she didn't want to make old mistakes. She wanted to be sure. She wanted him to be sure.

"What?" he asked, noticing the way she was staring, the way she looked lost in thought. She shook her head and smiled, and with a shaky breath, she brought her hand to his cheek.

"Nothing. Just kiss me." And he did. His lips were gently against hers, and she opened up to him, gasping softly when his hand moved down her shoulder and rested at her waist, thumb grazing gently along the underside of her breast through the fabric of her shirt.

Her fingers briefly tangled in his hair before moving to caress the back of his neck and then over his shoulders. His fingers gently toyed with the edge of her shirt before moving up to caress the bare skin of her stomach. She tensed a little at the ticklish sensation, but she relaxed when his tongue slid against hers, and his teeth gently tugged at her bottom lip.

"You ok?" he asked, pulling back to check in with her, to look in her eyes. She bit her bottom lip and nodded, stroking her thumb along the line of his jaw. He turned his head to kiss the palm of her hand, and she felt her stomach twist into knots.

"I'm ok," she whispered. "You ok."

"Yeah. I'm good," he chuckled.

"Good. That's good." She leaned in to kiss him again, and this time, her hands moved to his chest, feeling his heart pounding there just beneath his breast. She pulled back then, watching the way he swallowed hard before he leaned his forehead against hers. His fingers trembled, against her skin, giving away his own anxiety, and the tension that lingered between them was palpable. "It's ok." He nodded. She kissed him again, softly and slowly, bringing her hand to his to guide it between her legs. He groaned, feeling the heat between her legs through the fabric of her jeans. He squeezed her thigh, and she sighed against his mouth. "Daryl?" Her voice was a trembling whisper.

"Hmm?"

"Take me to bed."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

She was soft in all the right places, lean and toned in others, and his hands were gentle and curious, ghosting over her pale thigh, gently moving up her waist, teasing the soft skin of her stomach. She trembled under his touch, sighing as he settled into the cradle of her thighs, his bare stomach against hers, his lips gentle against her soft, pliant mouth. She trembled when his hand skirted past the edge of her panties, fingers gently brushing over the soft hair between her thighs. She gasped, and he pulled his hand away.

"You ok?"

"Yeah. I just need a minute," she whispered, biting her lip before smiling up at him. "It's been a while."

"I know," he murmured. Her hands moved down his muscular back, feeling the muscles jump and flex there. She closed her eyes and sighed when he kissed the hollow of her throat, kissed his way down her chest, past her bra and down her stomach. Her hands were shaking as he moved lower, and Daryl paused, moving back up to rest between her thighs again. "Open your eyes, sweetheart." She nodded, slowly peering up to look into his eyes. His hair had fallen forward, and she brought a hand up to push it back, giggling as it fell back down. "You trust me?"

"Yes." It was automatic, instinctual. She trusted him more than she trusted herself in this moment. His hands were calloused but gentle against her skin. It suddenly occurred to her that sex might actually be something she could fully enjoy with him. He seemed eager, ready to please her, hungry for her. Even the way he looked at her felt erotic. She'd never had those thoughts once in her marriage, that he wanted her and every bit of her, that he wanted to please her as much or more than he wanted to please himself.

She brought her hands up to his chest, over his shoulders, behind his neck, pulling him down to kiss her again, and she wrapped one leg around his hips, moaning as she felt him straining against his boxers. She nipped at his bottom lip, pulling back from the kiss as she arched up, reached behind her back and unclasped her bra. She tossed it to the floor to join the pile of the rest of their clothes, and Daryl's mouth was on her in a moment, teeth and tongue teasing the rosy peak of one breast while claiming the other in his hand, gently kneading it, teasing the nipple with his thumb.

"Daryl," she panted, as he teased her other breast with his mouth before kissing the undersides of her breasts. She bit her lip, bringing her hand down his back and over his ass, giving him a squeeze that made him chuckle. She grinned up at him, and he moved to kiss her again.

"This alright?" he asked, gently tugging at her panties, raking them down her thigh with one hand before moving to do the same on the other side.

"Mmm," she nodded, kissing his neck, gently biting down there before soothing the ache with her tongue. She lifted her hips and helped him slide the garment down her legs, and before she knew what he was doing, he was kissing the bones of her hips. She gasped, when she felt his breath between her legs, and she reached for him. "You…"

"You don't want me to?"

"I…" She was blushing, and he knew she wanted it. "I haven't…"

"He never did this for you?" Daryl asked.

"A few times, but I didn't…"

"You didn't like it?" She shook her head. Though she was pretty sure Ed hadn't really had much of a clue what he was doing, or maybe he hadn't done it long enough. Either way, she never came when he went down on her. Maybe she just didn't respond that way. Still, the way he'd touched her that night on the couch, the way she'd shuddered against him, broken beneath him with just his hand to please her, she didn't want to turn down anything Daryl had to offer.

"We don't have to," he promised.

"It's ok," she murmured, as Daryl kissed the patch of skin beneath her belly button. "We got all night." Carol brought her hands up, threading them through her hair as Daryl settled between her legs, gently prying her thighs apart. "Oh God." His hands started at her waist, gently stroking down, kneading her, relaxing her. Then his hands were on her hips, gently holding her down against the mattress. And then he touched her, stroking her with his fingers, kissing her inner thigh as he worked two fingers against her clit before slipping them inside. She sucked in a sharp breath, hips raising off the mattress, moaning as his fingers worked inside of her, and then she felt his tongue, light and teasing against her clit. "Oh fuck. Daryl…" He pulled back, staring at her for a moment, watching her breasts tremble with each gasp of breath. "Why did you…oh God. Don't stop."

"Yes ma'am," he chuckled, moving back in, teasing her with his fingers and tongue before he pulled his hand away, pushing her thighs a little farther apart, spreading her before him. A feast. She cried out when she felt his tongue pushing against her, pushing inside, and then his finger thrummed against her clit, sensitive and almost painful to the touch. She felt her body responding, felt the heat pooling there, and the more he touched her, the wetter she felt. She was gasping for breath, fingers digging into his hair as his stubble brushed against her thigh.

His nose nudged against her then, and she almost tore the sheets from the bed. She couldn't suppress her cries, and instead reached for a pillow to bite into.

His tongue did things she hadn't felt before, and just when she was about to come over the edge, he pushed his fingers into her again, rubbing her and stroking her as he teased her clit with his lips and tongue. She came faster than she'd expected, shuddering beneath him, hips knocking against his chin before he could pull away.

He pulled back to watch her fly, staring down at her as a flush of pink filled her cheeks and her neck.

"Oh God," she panted, reaching for him. He crawled up again, and her hand was reaching into his boxers, stroking him. His forehead leaned against hers, and he pushed at his boxers, wriggling out of him and tossing them to the floor. "Wanna see you." She bit her lip as he moved off of her, moving to reach into the bedside table drawer. He pulled out a condom wrapper and ripped into it, shifting to his side. She turned to face him then, looking down as she stroked him, admiring the size of him, the way he pulsed in her hand, the way his breath hitched as she stroked him.

"You gotta stop," he murmured. "Fuck, Carol." He buried his face against her shoulder, kissing her there, groaning until she let go of him and let him pull back from the edge. He fumbled with the condom, sliding it over his dick, and he barely had a chance to breathe before her arms were around him, tugging him over her. His mouth was on hers in a moment, kissing her slowly, hungrily. His every desire bubbled just below his skin. He was hard, aching, desperate for her.

She tugged at his bottom lip, getting his attention as his hips settled against hers.

"Touch me," she whispered, reaching for his hand, guiding it between her legs. He groaned at the sensation of her hotter and slicker than before, ready for him. Still, she moaned like it was the first time he'd touched her, voice raising a pitch as he pushed two fingers inside of her. He stroked her, resting his forehead against her shoulder as he fought to keep control, fought to not go over the edge before he was even inside of her.

When he pulled back, her head was thrown back, mouth open in a silent cry, eyes shut, face pink and brow damp with sweat. He kissed her jaw, stroking her slowly, circling her clit with his thumb until he felt her walls contracting around him. Then he pulled back, reached down to stroke himself a couple of times before pressing into her.

Her eyes flew open, and her nails dug into his shoulders, and he stared down at her.

"Just say the word, we can stop," he bit out, despite the fact that she felt like molten lava, and he wasn't even inside of her yet. He was trembling now, and Carol gently pulled her arms around his shoulders, peppering soft kisses along his jaw.

"Don't stop," she whispered, gently tugging at his earlobe with her teeth. "Don't stop. Please." It was all he needed. He gripped her thigh, bringing her leg around his hip, and he pushed into her, pushing them both nearly to the brink as he filled her, and he felt her tense around him, felt her squeezing him, felt her hot, slick walls pulsing in the most beautiful, torturous way.

"You ok?" he panted once he could bite out the words. She nodded.

"Don't stop," she moaned. "Need you." She kissed him then, and he began to moved, hips gently rocking against hers, and she was so tight, he worried he was hurting her, but her hands trailed down his back, nails biting into his lower back, spurring him on, and he braced himself against the mattress, watching her sprawl out beneath him, hands moving to grip the sheets, back arching as she moved one hand between them, running her hand up his chest, up his neck, into his hair, tugging him down for another heated kiss.

She broke away, panting softly against his ear, and he could tell she was holding back, and that was the last thing he ever wanted her to do.

"Let go," he promised. She gasped for breath, and he moved one hand between them, fingers slipping against her as he moved inside of her. Her eyes screwed shut, and he toyed with her clit, and she nearly came up off the mattress. "Let go, sweetheart."

"Fuck, Daryl," she gasped. "Oh God. Oh!" She was letting go of her inhibitions, and Daryl grinned the second her eyes flew open and he saw that flash, that primal hunger in her eyes. He gripped her hips then, and he flipped onto his back, and she slipped off of him, straddling his hips. Her hands were on his chest, and his were on her hips, and as she sunk back down onto him, she never took her eyes off of his.

"So fuckin' beautiful," he panted, as he dragged his gaze down her body, watching her breasts sway as she rode him. He saw a little smile then, a flicker in her face, and he knew. This was her moment of control, this was when she could take over, let herself feel what she desperately needed, let herself make _him_ feel those things too.

She leaned down, kissing him, letting his hands move over her, moving up her waist, over her breasts, one hand tangling in the back of her short-cropped hair. She leaned into his touch. She rode him slowly, taking him in fully before rising up and sinking back down, over and over again, walls pulsing around him, until his hand moved between her legs again. Her head flew back, and he groaned as she tightened around him.

And before she knew what was happening, he was flipping her back against the mattress before filling her once again, moving quickly now, sliding out and slamming back into her, as her cries grew louder, breathing quickened, hands moved down his body, stroking and scratching down his back. He felt her come, felt the rush of heat surround him as she contracted around him, and he finally let himself go. He collapsed against her, afraid to crush her, but when her arms came around his waist, holding him there, holding him so close as if she wanted to keep him there forever, he buried his face against her chest, kissing her there, panting softly until his heart began to slow and his body began to relax.

"You ok?" she asked softly, stroking the back of his neck as he rested against her.

"Mmm," he managed to groan out, getting a little chuckle out of her.

"That good?"

"Better," he panted. "Jesus." He slid out of her then, and she rolled to her side to look at him. She smiled then, and he couldn't help but notice her kiss-swollen lips, the flush leaving her face, the way her eyes were glassy in a sleepy, satisfied way. "What?" he asked, as that grin widened on her face.

"Just you," she whispered, leaning in and kissing him softly.

...

Carol rubbed the towel over her hair, listening to baby Jack crying in the nursery. She brought the towel down and was about to wrap it around herself, that familiar insecurity creeping in, but then she changed her mind, tossed it into the hamper and turned out the bathroom light. She slid back under the covers of Daryl's bed, biting her lip as she waited for him to come back. The bedside lamp cast a dim, yellow glow about the room, and she found herself holding her breath when the baby's cries stopped.

Minutes later, Daryl came back in, shutting the door quietly behind himself and removing the towel from around his waist. He slung it over the back of a chair—such a guy move, she thought—and started back toward the bed. She couldn't help but take in the sight of him, confident in swagger but a little nervous when she looked up into his eyes.

"I'm cold. Come warm me up." She held back the covers, and he saw a glimpse of her creamy skin, her perfectly pebbled nipples as she shivered under the covers.

"Christ, who's gonna say no to that?" he asked, getting into the bed, leaning back against the headboard, pulling her close and inhaling the sweet, soapy scent of her skin.

"You're still all wet," she chuckled, running her fingers through his damp hair. Her hand traveled down his stomach and curled around his cock. It twitched in her hand, and she gently nibbled along his jaw.

"You ain't tired?"

"A little," she admitted. "You?"

"Nope. Not really. Not…oh fuck…" She slowly pumped him from base to tip and back down again, and he shuddered, leaning back against the pillow as she worked him over. "Thought I was s'posed to warm you up."

"Getting warmer," she offered, moving to straddle his lap.

"Fuck, you're perfect," he groaned, eyes rolling back as she kissed his neck and continued working him in her hand. "So much for that shower." Carol laughed then. It was his new favorite sound. "C'mere." He grabbed her by the hips and flipped her, crawling over her, tugging her down the mattress so she was lying flat. She smiled up at him, eyes bight, and he could have said it in that moment. He wanted to say it. But she leaned up to kiss him before he could utter a word. In moments, all words were forgotten, and they let the fire between them consume them once more.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Carol woke up, warm and comfortable, and before she even cracked an eye open, she could tell the sun was already up. Before her eyelids could even flutter open, she heard a very familiar sound. The snap of a shutter. She cracked one eye open to see Daryl propped up on his elbow. He held the camera she'd brought the night before.

"What are you doing?" she asked with a sleepy grin.

"You're beautiful when ya sleep."

"God," Carol snorted, running her hands through her hair, "oh no. No, no, no. Delete it."

"You ain't seen it yet." Carol opened her other eye, squinting into the morning light, and she made a grab for the camera. It went off again.

"No," she laughed. "Stop. How many of these did you take, and how naked was I?"

"Just a couple, and you were covered, although…" He lifted the sheet, and Carol smacked it back down.

"No!" she laughed. "Stop, jerk!" She wrestled the camera away from it and snapped a picture right in his face. "See how you like it." Daryl caught her hand in his and grabbed the camera, putting it aside on the table.

"Like it just fine," he murmured, tugging her close, pulling her against him. She smiled against his lips as he kissed her, and then she started to pull away. "Where you goin'?"

"I'm hungry."

"Me too," he murmured, eyes dark with lust.

"I need food. You know, that thing you have to have to survive? And the kids will be up soon." She kissed him again.

"Jack just had a bottle a half hour ago, and Charlie's still sleepin'."

"Jack woke up again?"

"Twice in the night. You slept right through it."

"I did?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Yeah. Didn't wanna wake ya." Carol poked her lower lip out for a moment before kissing him again.

"You're sweet." She pulled away again, making an effort to get out of bed. He grabbed her by the waist again, and she laughed. "C'mon, I'm hungry, and I have to pee." Daryl sighed then and tugged her down, kissing her hungrily until she was pushing against his shoulders. "Mmm. Ok. Ok. No, I _really_ have to pee." He let her go then, and she leaned down for one more kiss before scrambling off the bed and making a beeline to the bathroom.

When she returned, Daryl was sitting up on the edge of the bed, having just tugged his boxers up over his hips. Carol pouted a little, but her stomach growled. She moved across the room to start grabbing her clothes up from the floor. She felt his hands on her hips, and she shivered. She turned then, looking down at him, seeing the desire in his eyes, the hunger. She bit her lip, running her hands over his bare shoulders as she stood between his legs. He leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to her stomach, and she smiled, knees feeling a little weak as his fingers pulsed at her hips. His tongue was on her skin then, teasing around her belly button, and she felt that familiar heat pool between her legs.

His breath was warm against her skin, and she closed her eyes, sighing as his hands ghosted over the backs of her thighs.

"Daryl," she whispered, biting her lip and bowing her head as her body started to go limp. He buried his face against her stomach then.

"Don't wanna leave this room today."

"Mmm, me neither. But you've got your interview today. And work."

"If this interview goes good, I might not have work tonight. You can sleep over again."

"Nice try," she laughed. He nipped at her belly button, and she giggled. "Think we have time?"

"Mmm, maybe," he murmured. Carol closed her eyes as he pulled her into his lap, bringing his hand between her thighs. She gasped then, wrapping an arm around his neck, holding onto him, panting against his shoulder as he stroked her. It didn't take long to bring her over the edge, and she rested her forehead against his afterward and sighed. "You…"

"Yeah?"

"I…need another shower." She got up off his lap and started for the bathroom. With a chuckle, Daryl leaned back against the bed. He heard the shower door open and the water turn on, and then he heard her clear her throat. He saw her staring at him from the door way, naked and waiting for him, and he sat up slowly. "You gonna just lay there, or are you coming?"

Daryl Dixon hadn't gotten out of bed so fast in his entire life.

...

"More!" Charlie chirped, as Daryl poured her some more orange juice into her sippy cup. He tightened the lid and handed it to her.

"You drink this first, then you get more." She began drinking it down, and Daryl sat back down at the table. He glanced at Carol who was finishing off the last of her coffee. "You still hungry?"

"God, no," she chuckled. "I'm kind of embarrassed. I never eat that much in the morning."

"Worked up an appetite," he smirked.

"Someone's cocky this morning." She watched him quirk an eyebrow, and she blushed. Probably not the best phrasing, considering. She wiped her mouth with her napkin and got up to grab her plate.

"I can get that," he offered, standing up.

"Let me. You cooked. It's the least I can do."

"I'll help ya. I'll rinse and dry."

"A man after my own heart," she sighed, batting her eyelashes at him. He snorted, and she gave him a quick, chaste kiss when he leaned over to grab a couple of dishes off of the table.

They worked together, side-by-side, clearing the table and cleaning up, and by the time they were finished, Charlie had made a mess of her breakfast.

"You know, the only time she reminds me of Merle is when she eats," Daryl snorted. Charlie giggled, and Daryl shook his head. "You're a mess, Princess." Jack began to fuss in the nursery.

"Why don't you go get him, and I'll get Charlie cleaned up?"

"You sure?" Daryl asked.

"Of course. How about it, Miss Charlotte? You ready to get dressed?"

"No!"

"That's her new favorite word, by the way," Daryl pointed out.

"Well, how about we go get washed up?"

"No!" Oh, this was going to be fun.

"How about we give you a bottle like your baby brother?"

"No. I big girl!"

"Oh, I forgot!" Carol gasped, putting her hand over her mouth, raising her eyebrows. "Well, big girls don't cry when it's time to get dressed." Charlie pouted. "You want to be a big girl, don't you?" Charlie made a face and looked over at Daryl.

"You better listen to her, Charlie. I think she knows what she's talkin' about."

"Ok," Charlie agreed. "Ice cream!"

"No. No ice cream," Carol said sternly. "Let's get cleaned up and dressed like a big girl, and then maybe this afternoon we can have some ice cream. Ok?"

"Ok, Cawol," Charlie agreed. She lifted her arms, and Carol pulled her out of her seat.

"How did you get eggs in your pajamas?" Carol asked the little one. Daryl smirked at her.

"Welcome to my life," he whispered, giving her a kiss before he took off toward the nursery. Carol smiled to herself and took Charlie off to get cleaned up.

By the time both kids were clean and dressed for the day, Charlie's favorite cartoon was on the television, so Daryl gave her a little bowl of blueberries and a cup of milk and put Jack in his swing. Carol headed out to the back yard to check on Lucky who was chewing on a discarded hamburger that had fallen to the ground the night before.

"He doin' alright out here?" Daryl asked, stepping outside.

"Yeah. I think he's used to going on walks in the morning, but he seems satisfied eating that half-burnt hamburger." She sighed and shook her head.

"You wanna go for a walk? I can get the kids ready, and…"

"Honestly? I don't really feel like moving, let alone going for a walk," she chuckled, as Daryl wrapped his arms around her from behind. He kissed her neck then, gently running a hand up and down her arm. "You better not do that." She giggled as he kissed her again, and then she turned in his arms to press her lips against his. "I'm warning you."

"Mmm," he muttered, tugging her lower lip between his teeth.

"Daryl," she murmured softly, wrapping her arms around him as his tongue slid against her lips. She opened up to him, moaning softly trembling against him as he pulled her closer. When he finally broke the kiss, she pressed her forehead against his. "You're playing with fire."

"I know," he chuckled, before he let her go. "We got a while 'til I gotta get ready for that interview. We could do somethin'."

"We could." She smiled. "Or we could stay here. I like it here." Daryl smiled then, taking her hand. They headed back into the house and settled down on the couch together. Carol laughed when Daryl pulled his phone out and took a selfie of the two of them when she wasn't expecting it.

"What are you doing with that?"

"Just realized I haven't updated my profile in a minute."

"You're not using that are you? I look awful."

"Could use that one I took of you sleepin' this mornin'."

"God, no. This one's better."

"I won't post it if ya don't want me to."

"I don't mind," Carol chuckled. "It's just…weird. Ed was never a social media kind of guy, and I didn't get into it until after the divorce. I mean, I see my friend Michonne and her boyfriend Rick posting things all of the time, pictures of each other. I guess it's a strange concept, sharing things like that about your relationship with other people." She smiled a little, and then she tapped something on her phone.

"What's that?"

"You'll see," she laughed. Just then, his phone buzzed.

"What's…" A message popped up on his page.

 _You are now in a relationship with Carol Peletier._

"'Bout time," he snorted.

"Please," Carol laughed. "You haven't posted anything either."

"You serious? My ma never would've let me live it down if I posted that before she met you."

"Good point," Carol chuckled, leaning over to kiss him. "Here. One for mine." She held her phone out, and snapped a photo just as he kissed her cheek. "Oh God. We're _that_ couple now, aren't we?" Her phone buzzed. "That was fast. It's Michonne. Get ready for it. She'll be sending you a friend request in about five minutes."

"Nah. Really?"

"Oh yeah," Carol laughed. "Just wait."

 _It's about time, guys. This might be the cutest thing I've seen all day. By the way, Daryl, you hurt my BFF, and we're going to have a problem. ;)_

"She's a little scary."

"She's the best," Carol laughed. "If it wasn't for her being in my life, I might still be with Ed."

"Then I guess I got her to thank then, huh?" Carol grinned at him. Daryl's phone buzzed.

 _Michonne Daniels sent you a friend request._

"That was fast."

"Oh, wait, I got one, too. Aw, Maggie! Oh, there's one from Glenn."

"I think they already like you better'n me."

"No they don't," Carol laughed. "I think they're just glad you're happy."

"I am," he agreed. "You happy?"

"Very." She kissed him then, and she laughed against his lips. "Yeah, we're definitely _that_ couple. People might want to stay away from us for a while."

"Good. I'd rather be with you anyway." Carol grinned and kissed him, and then Daryl pulled his arm around her. They put their phones aside, and Carol snuggled up against him and turned her attention back to the TV, smiling as Daryl's arm curled around her waist and pulled her just a little bit closer.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"Wake up," she whispered against his ear, chuckling as he mumbled something in his sleep. "You're gonna be late for work."

"Five more minutes."

"You don't work at the bar anymore, babe. You have to be at work in an hour, and I know you need a shower." She kissed his ear, and his eyes fluttered open.

"Huh?"

"Good morning," she chuckled, pressing her lips to his. "You're gonna be late for work."

"Time is it?" Daryl muttered, stretching onto his back. Carol was already dressed and holding two steaming cups of coffee.

"I know it's not your favorite, but I made it how I know you'll drink it." Daryl snorted at that, and he sat up, taking the cup from her. "Mornin'." He leaned in to kiss her properly, and she smiled against his mouth. When he pulled back, he blew over the top of his cup before bringing it to his lips. "Thanks for this."

"You don't want to be late. First impressions and all that."

"I got time," he promised.

"You might if you were at your house. You slept over at mine, remember?"

"Yeah. I'm good," he promised, throwing back the covers to reveal his naked form. "Wanna join me in the shower?"

"Yes," she laughed, "but I'm not, because I'm not going to have you running later than you already are. I've got breakfast in the oven."

"Really?"

"Hmm. You're used to the night life. Welcome to the wonderful world of working 8 to 4."

"Hmm," Daryl muttered before yawning and taking another sip of coffee. Carol got up and moved across the room to check her hair in the mirror. She ran her fingers through it and turned as Daryl got up from the bed. "You gonna be in the office all day, or…"

"Nope. Big day, remember?" Daryl took notice of the nice dress she was wearing and the heels. She was even wearing a pretty necklace with a gem that matched the color of her eyes.

"That's right. You got that wedding."

"This is my biggest gig yet."

"Paycheck's gonna be worth it, right?"

"Yeah," she chuckled, as he stepped around her into the en suite bathroom and grabbed his toothbrush out of the cup next to hers. Carol smiled a little, leaning against the door frame. The last couple of weeks had been a whirlwind. They didn't stay together every night, but they were together enough that she had a few things at his place, and he had a few things at hers. It was easier that way.

Daryl had even brought over a bassinet, and they'd made a little bed for Charlie out of Carol's guest room daybed. It had been an adjustment, the first night Daryl and the kids had stayed over, but Lucky had slept in the guest room, making the transition easier for Charlie, who loved having a puppy companion to snuggle up with.

Daryl spat his toothpaste into the sink, rinsed and reached to turn on the shower.

"Don't forget, Michonne and Rick are coming over tonight for dinner." Carol had managed to keep Daryl to herself pretty much since going public with their relationship, but tonight was the night. Carol had briefly met Rick last week when he'd showed up at Michonne's place as Carol was leaving. She didn't know him very well, but he seemed pretty nice, and he made Michonne happy, so Carol figured there had to be something to him. Still, she was anxious about tonight, about Michonne meeting Daryl. This was her best friend. This was the woman who had helped save her from a toxic marriage. While Carol already knew how she felt about Daryl, she still felt like Michonne's liking him was very important. It wasn't that she was worried Michonne wouldn't like him. It was just the thought that there was the small possibility that maybe that could happen, and that didn't settle right with her. She wasn't going to give up either of them, so they damned well better like each other and get along.

She stepped out of the bathroom and grabbed her phone, sending Michonne a quick text.

 _Remember tonight. Eight o'clock._

 _Of course. I'm bringing the wine, remember?_

 _Yes, thank you._

 _You nervous?_

 _Very._

 _Me too._

 _You? Why?_

 _You think I'm not nervous about you meeting Rick? I mean, you're my best friend._

 _I've met Rick._

 _For what? Ten minutes? Being friends with him online doesn't count. This is serious._

 _God, now I feel better._

 _Why?_

 _Because I was starting to freak out, too. I want you to like Daryl._

 _Why wouldn't I? He makes you happy, right?_

 _Very. God, why are we like this?_

 _I know, right? Relax, Carol. Tonight's going to be great. His kids love him. You love him, even if you haven't told him. Even your dog loves him. I think it's safe to say he's already ten times the man Ed ever was._

 _I love you, Mich. You always know how to say the right thing._

 _Love you, too. Just remember, when you meet Rick, try not to fall in love with him and his embarrassing dad jokes._

 _Oh, I'll try to contain myself. See you tonight, Mich._

She chuckled to herself and put her phone away, stepping down the hall to the guest room. The kids had stayed with their grandmother last night, but she was supposed to go over and pick them up on her way back from the wedding, and that was a pretty big deal. She hadn't been alone with the kids yet, not really. He was always there. Now she was responsible for picking up these two little lives and transporting them back to her place and waiting for him to come over, like they were already a little family waiting for daddy to get home. It felt strange but in a good way. She loved when the kids were over. She loved watching Daryl with him. He adored them, and it was obvious they adored him right back. Jack was slowly growing out of that sleepy newborn phase, and he was more alert now, more aware of his surroundings. Carol was certain she almost got a smile out of him a couple of days ago, but Daryl had snorted and told her it was gas. Well, it had been, but that was beside the point.

She moved to the little day bed that they had converted into a toddler bed. Daryl had taken the legs off of it so it lay closer to the floor, and Charlie loved sleeping there. She said it was her "big, big girl bed."

She started tidying up, making sure the room was just right for tonight. She'd gone out and bought a few toys so Charlie would always having something to play with when she was over, and she'd even bought a box of diapers and a couple of cans of formula in case they ran out of what was in the diaper bag.

She couldn't help it, but when she held Jack and rocked him to sleep, she felt like a mom. It was a comforting thing, holding him and feeling the complete trust he had when he rested his sleepy little head against her chest. As much as she hadn't wanted to get attached, she had bonded with him and with Charlie so quickly that she hated what might happen should things go bad with her and Daryl. And that thought was something she hated to even consider, but she knew it was only the right thing to do, to consider it, because there were children involved.

But she was happy, and she saw no reason to think that she wouldn't stay that way.

In all of her tidying up, she hadn't heard Daryl come out of the shower, so she jumped when she felt his warm arms come around her waist. He pressed against her from behind and kissed the side of her neck.

"You ok in here?"

"Hmm," she murmured, rubbing her hand against his arms. "You scared me."

"Sorry," he murmured. "You're pickin' the kids up, right?"

"Yeah," she promised. "I'm just afraid I won't buckle them in right or…"

"You'll get it. And if you need help, my mom does this all the time. So just have her show ya."

"Ok," she sighed, turning in his arms. His hands moved down to her hips, and she smiled when he leaned down to kiss her. It was these sleepy, happy mornings that she lived for. In moments like this, when he was holding her close and kissing her softly, it was all she could do to keep from shouting her feelings from the rooftop. But they weren't there yet. It was coming. She could feel it.

"Gonna miss ya today."

"Call me on lunch? Let me know how it's going."

"Yeah," Daryl promised. Carol stepped back and admired the way his shirt clung to him in all the right places. She raised an eyebrow, and Daryl smirked. "Be careful out there today."

"I love that you worry about me," she sighed. "But you don't have to." She kissed him again, and she linked her fingers with his. "Come on." She tugged on his hand and led him out of the room. "Breakfast should be ready."

...

The wedding was beautiful. The young couple were fresh out of college, and they clearly came from money, as the affair was as extravagant and beautiful as it was sweet and emotional. Carol found herself tearing up as these two lovers, complete strangers to her, said their vows. She took photos throughout the ceremony, not just of the happy couple but of the guests and the wedding party. She wanted to capture everything so the newlyweds could look back and remember fondly.

It was a beautiful, outdoor wedding in the meadow out back of the bride's mother's home. The weather was perfect. It was a comfortable seventy-five degrees and there wasn't a cloud in the clear, blue sky. Carol continued taking photos and helped herself to one glass of champagne early into the reception. When the DJ was set up, most people gathered under a big, white tent where a floor had been constructed for dancing. Carol made her way through the crowd, snapping photos of the first dance, feeling her heart flutter at the look these two had in their eyes when they looked at one another. Thinking back, Carol could remember the feeling of anxiety in the pit of her stomach on her wedding day, even after the wedding. She remembered feeling relieved when it was over but then uncertain about where they were going from there.

"Carol?" Carol turned then to see Glenn and Maggie with little Gabe. "I thought I saw you earlier."

"Hey!" Carol offered, giving Maggie a hug. "Yeah, I'm the official photographer. I don't know a soul here. Well, except you guys." She felt proud. She still couldn't believe her business was becoming so successful. "You know the bride or the groom?"

"The bride. We were sorority sisters." She rolled her eyes. "She was the nicest one of the whole group. We aren't close, but she sort of introduced us." She motioned between herself and Glenn. "She was there at our wedding, so we wanted to be here for hers."

"That's sweet," Carol said softly. "Hi Gabe!" Gabe grinned and giggled before hiding his face against his father's shoulder.

"He's shy today. All these strangers," Maggie chuckled. "I need more champagne."

"I'm on it," Glenn promised. "Good to see you, Carol. You look beautiful." Carol smiled then, and she turned to snap a few photos of the crowd, and as she scanned the scene, she saw a familiar face by the punch table. Her blood ran cold, and she flinched.

"You ok?" Maggie asked. Carol cleared her throat and nodded, looking away, forcing herself to look at Maggie.

"Yeah. Yeah, I think I saw…" She turned back and the guy was gone. She looked around, not seeing that face, not seeing the man that made her heart freeze up. "Nevermind." She forced a smile and shrugged. "I should get back to work."

"Well, tell Daryl we said hello. Glenn's already talking about how much work sucks since Daryl left."

"I'll let him know," Carol chuckled. "Enjoy the party."

She turned and started back around the crowd, sticking to the background, keeping an eye out in case she saw that face again. Soon, she was convinced she had imagined it, that she'd mistaken someone else for him.

When she got back up to the bar set up by the dance floor, she saw Glenn standing there with Gabe in his arms.

"You need a drink?" he offered.

"Yes, but I'm working. One was my limit," Carol chuckled, gaze moving over the crowd.

"You ok?"

"Yeah. I'm ok. Just remembering my own wedding."

"Bet you were beautiful."

"I was very young. It was very rushed, and well, now I'm divorced, so that should tell you something."

"Well, Maggie and I were just going to elope, but then all of her college friends found out and insisted on throwing a shower. Somehow, a shower turned into a reception which turned into a wedding with about a hundred guests." Glenn accepted two glasses of champagne from the bartender, and he shifted Gabe on his hip while clasping both glasses in one hand. "I guess it doesn't matter how big or small the wedding is. So long as the person your marrying is the right one for you, nothing else matters."

"That's true," Carol smiled. "You and Maggie seem happy."

"She and Gabe are everything to me," Glenn offered. "For what it's worth, when Daryl talks about you, or even when you're together and he looks at you, I can see it's like that for him. He was all about those kids and work, and he was so stressed out all the time. Then you came along, and everything just changed for him. He's happy. You've been good for him."

"He's been very good for me," Carol admitted. "They say time heals all wounds, but sometimes I look at Daryl and think 'you're it. You're the one that fixed what he broke.'" She blushed then. Maybe it was the champagne. Maybe it was the wedding. Whatever it was, she knew she had just said entirely too much.

"It's ok," Glenn chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm one of those guys women tend to say a little too much to. I think it's because I grew up with a bunch of sisters. Your secret's safe with me."

"Thank you," Carol murmured, feeling her cheeks growing warm. "I appreciate that."

"I should get back. Tell Daryl hey."

"I will," she promised. Glenn walked off, and Carol took a shaky breath before she stepped back out to continue taking photos of the wedding reception.

...

Carol put her camera case into the car and pulled out her phone. She tapped out a quick text letting Mary know she was on her way over to get the children. She quickly programmed Mary's address into her phone's GPS. Despite having been to Mary's for dinner twice in the last week, she still wasn't entirely comfortable driving there with no directions.

Just as she was about to duck into the car, she heard the crunch of gravel behind her, and she quickly turned to see that face, that man, that memory in her mind that made her blood run cold again. She felt the air leave her lungs. Her hands shook. Her heart was thundering then, pumping the ice through her veins.

"Carol? I thought that was you."

"Ed. What are…" She looked around, seeing nobody close that she could yell to. She had been one of the last to leave after speaking with the bride and groom about when they could pick up their photos. "You shouldn't be…"

"I didn't know you were gonna be here," he admitted, holding his hands up. "I'm friends with the groom. Well, with the groom's brother."

"Ok," Carol bit out. "I have to go. You can't be…"

"I'm not here to start trouble."

"I have a restraining order. I'd appreciate it if you…"

"Did you get the flowers?" Carol remembered back to that day. "The wine? I know you liked that kind. Though, it seems you're into a lot of new things these days. New life. New dog. New job. New man. Looks like he's giving you everything I never did." Ed took a step toward her. Carol backed up against the car, phone shaking in her hand. "You don't have to be scared, darlin'."

"Ed, please…"

"I wanted to tell you I was sorry for...everything."

"Ok. You said it. Please leave."

"You know, I loved you. I made mistakes, but I loved you. When you left, I guess something inside of me just broke, and I…I acted like an ass, and I'm sorry."

"You threatened to kill me, Ed. You…you can't think that saying sorry makes any…any of that ok." Ed took another step toward her. "Leave or I'm calling the police." She could smell the liquor on his breath. "I'll leave. I'm going."

"If you _ever_ come near me again, I'll call the police so fast your head will spin. I mean it, Ed." He chuckled and shook his head.

"Cute kids, you know? Always thought you'd make a good mom." He turned then, pulling a flask out of his jacket pocket. He took a swig of it as he walked away. "See you soon, darlin'." Carol got into the car, locking the doors and rolling up the windows. She sat there, shaking until the tears came. She swore she'd never shed a tear over that man again, yet here she was, sobbing in an almost abandoned parking lot with her phone in her lap. She didn't know what to say or to do, and she wanted so badly to call Daryl, but she was frozen. She just sat there, afraid to do anything, because what if Ed followed her? What if he traced her back to Mary's house? What if he tried to hurt Mary or the kids?

Her stomach twisted into knots. She started the car and sat there for a moment, watching as Ed disappeared to the other side of the meadow where another smattering of cars were parked.

She quickly put the car in drive and took the long, winding lane out to the main road. Her GPS started talking to her, and she checked the rear view mirror. No sign of Ed. Still, she didn't want to take a chance. Instead, she turned the wrong way, and the GPS re-routed her. She kept her phone in her lap, and she kept an eye on her rear view mirror. Once she was confident he wasn't following her, she started following her directions and headed across town to get the kids from Mary's house. The whole time, her fingers were tight on the steering wheel, and every horrible thing the man ever said to her echoed through her head, a painful soundtrack to a past she only wanted to forget.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"I need to know what my options are here." Carol paced back and forth in the living room with her phone to her ear. "Andrea?"

"Did anyone see him approach you?"

"What?"

"Did anybody at the wedding see Ed approach you?"

"No…I don't think so. It was after. He was at the wedding though. He knows the groom. He said he was friends with the groom's brother."

"Ok. Ok, I can work with that. But you have no proof he approached you?"

"I have my word."

"I can't take that to the judge," Andrea sighed. "And coming to the wedding wasn't actively violating the restraining order if he was invited." Carol sighed heavily and sat down on the couch.

"He was actively violating it when he approached me at my car and had me cornered. Jesus, Andrea, I guess it's true. He can get away with whatever he wants."

"I'm not saying that."

"Well, I'll tell you what he said. He knows about my boyfriend. He knows about his kids. He knows about my job and about my goddamned dog! Now tell me what you can't take to the judge!"

"Calm down," Andrea urged.

"It's just a piece of paper," Carol muttered. "It's not doing any good."

"That's not true," Andrea insisted. "You have options here. You can call the police. I can guarantee you that they'll send a car out to his house, and…"

"And he'll deny it even happened. He was drunk." She sighed, running the palm of her hand over her face.

"Shit," Andrea muttered. "It would've been better if you'd called the police when it happened."

"I panicked," Carol murmured. "Jesus, he was right there, and I just froze."

"We can get confirmation of Ed's being there at the wedding. That's a start."

"This is going to be a lot of paperwork and red tape, isn't it?" At Andrea's silence, Carol sighed, feeling defeated. "Meanwhile, he's out there free."

"Don't give up. We're gonna get our chance to nail the bastard. We can…"

"You know," Carol murmured, "my life didn't turn out even close to how I thought it would. I'm happy now. Of course Ed has to come along and try to destroy everything I've built since I left him."

"I don't want you to be alone tonight."

"I won't be. But part of me wants to push everyone away, because the last thing I want is them to get hurt because Ed can't get over my leaving him." Jack began to fuss upstairs, and Carol sighed. "I have to go."

"Alright. I'm going to call one of the best judges I know, and I'm going to see if there's anything I can do."

"I won't hold my breath. Call me if you have any news." Carol hung up, and she ran her fingers through her hair, taking a shaking breath to calm her nerves. Thunder rattled the windowpanes, and she felt the knots in her stomach tighten. She had to pull herself together. It wouldn't be long before Daryl would be home, and then their guests would be over, and she didn't want Ed to ruin one more moment of her day. She just wanted to forget about it.

She tossed her phone onto the couch and headed upstairs to check on the kids, anxiously waiting for Daryl to arrive but uncertain of how to tell him her crazy ex-husband was pushing his way back into the picture.

...

Jack was napping, and Charlie was sitting in the high chair with a bowl full of blueberries. Carol had the steaks marinating and was prepping the salad. She hadn't even heard Daryl come in, so when she felt his arms slide around her waist, she yelped and spun in his arms, eyes wide.

"Relax, it's just me," he chuckled, leaning in to kiss her. She was stiff in his arms, and when he felt her trembling, he pulled back. "Baby, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I…you scared me. That's all."

"M'sorry." He leaned around her and grabbed a slice of carrot, popping it into his mouth. He moved over to kiss Charlie on top of the head. "Hey, Princess." He looked back to Carol. "You get home from Mom's ok?"

"Yeah," Carol offered nervously, eyeing him before she turned to keep chopping her vegetables.

"What's goin' on? Somethin' happen today?" He crossed the kitchen again, coming to stand behind her as she let the knife in her hand clatter to the cutting board.

"Ed happened." She bristled at her own words. "He was at the wedding. I mean, he was a guest. How could he have known I was going to be there?" Daryl's hands were on her shoulders now, gently ghosting down her arms. "I thought I saw him, but I told myself it was just the champagne, just my anxiety. But then he came up to me at my car. Nobody was around. I froze."

"Christ," Daryl murmured. "He hurt you?" He gently cradled her chin in his hand, tilting her head up so she'd look him in the eyes.

"No," she murmured, shaking her head. "But he told me he sent the flowers and the wine. He was drunk."

"Ain't no excuse."

"No," she agreed. "He knows about you. About the kids. Daryl, I'm sorry. I never should have…"

"Don't." He didn't want to hear whatever words she was about to say, because there was _nothing_ that could change the way he felt about her or how happy he was to have had her come into his life. "You call the cops?"

"I froze, Daryl. I called my lawyer, but I don't think anything's going to come of it. I panicked."

"Hey. It's ok. C'mere." He pulled her in, and she sighed, burying her face against his chest. "You sure he didn't hurt you?"

"He didn't. He just scared the hell out of me. Daryl, I haven't felt that scared in so long. He's been watching me. He…he knows where I live, where I work. He knows about you and the kids and even my dog." She sniffled. "You should go. You should take the kids and just get away from me."

"Stop it," Daryl bit out, a little more harshly than he'd intended. His voice softened. "I ain't goin' anywhere." Carol backed away then, wiping her eyes with the back of her hands.

"I don't want anything to happen to you or to the kids. Or even your mother, Daryl. I'm terrified he's been watching us all this time and…"

"Hey. Hey. Look, you got a restraining order, right?"

"Right," she sniffled.

"We catch him sniffin' around again, we're callin' the police, and his ass can sit in jail."

"Then he'll be out in no time and he'll be just as angry as before."

"You ain't stayin' alone. 'Til this shit's settled, you're either sleepin' at my place, or I'm sleepin' at yours."

"Daryl…"

"I mean it. I ain't fuckin' around with this guy." He brought her into his arms. "Swear to God I'll kill the son of a bitch."

"Stop. Please don't talk like that," Carol sniffled. "I don't want you to do something stupid because of me. Please promise me you…" Her words faltered, and she put her hands over her face. "It's a mess. Everything I've built this past year is just…it's falling apart."

"It ain't. He ain't got that kinda power over you. Don't let him have that." He glanced at the clock. "You wanna cancel this dinner? We'll take the kids and just get out for a while?"

"That sounds nice, but I think having Michonne here might actually make me feel better."

"Alright," Daryl agreed. "C'mon. Come sit down. I'll pour ya a glass of wine, and I'll finish up in here."

"Why are you so good to me?" Carol asked, sniffling as she picked up Charlie from her high chair and followed Daryl into the living room.

"'Cause you're one of the three best things that ever happened to me." He leaned in then, pressed a soft kiss to her lips and felt her smile against his lips. He pulled back slowly and watched her eyes flutter open, and he saw the fear slowly receding, replaced by that familiar look of contentment and happiness. "I love ya." Carol's eyes widened just enough that he realized the words had slipped out just like that. He'd meant them, but he sure as hell wasn't sure if she was ready for him to say them. But, the moment her hand came to the back of his neck, and her fingers curled in his hair, he let go of the breath he was holding and sighed when she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him.

"I love you, too," she whispered, as Charlie giggled between them. "That funny to you, Miss Charlotte?" Charlotte nodded and giggled again, and Carol passed her over to Daryl.

"C'mon. Put your feet up," he urged, as she sat down on the couch. He put Charlie down by the coffee table where a pack of crayons and some blank paper awaited her. "I'll get you somethin' to drink."

"God, Daryl, I didn't even ask about your first day. I'm sorry."

"S'alright. You got more'n enough reason to be distracted right now. 'Sides, it was pretty boring. Lot of paperwork."

"Still, I feel bad."

"Well, don't. Just relax, and I'll be right back." He leaned in and kissed her once again before disappearing into the kitchen. Carol sighed softly and closed her eyes, leaning back against the couch and wondering how the hell she was so lucky to have him? As much as she hated him being put in the middle of this, she was extremely grateful to have him there by her side. She felt stronger with him. She felt like she could do anything. For the first time all day, she felt the tiniest glimmer of hope that everything was going to be alright.

...

"That was delicious. My compliments to the chef," Rick offered after finishing off what was left on his plate.

"Thank you," Carol smiled. "Daryl helped."

"I chopped carrots and lettuce. Don't let her fool ya," Daryl snorted.

"He's a great cook," Carol insisted.

"Just 'cause ya ain't got food poisonin' yet don't mean nothin'." Everybody laughed. When Rick and Michonne had showed up and the awkward introductions were over, everybody had settled in at the table for supper. Charlie had gone down for a nap shortly before dessert, and the adults had enjoyed a light conversation. Carol kept seeing Michonne eyeing her during quiet moments, as if she knew something was going on, but Carol would just give her a smile, much like the smiles she used to give her when she wanted her to think everything was ok with Ed. There was no fooling her.

"Anybody want seconds?" Carol asked.

"Oh, I'm stuffed," Michonne groaned. "I'll take a some more wine."

"Sounds good," Carol nodded. "Me too. Guys?"

"I'm good, thanks."

"Yeah, I think I'm good," Daryl agreed.

"Let me start clearing." Daryl started to get up to help, but Michonne spoke up.

"I'll help," she offered. "Take a load off, Daryl."

"You sure?" Daryl asked.

"Of course. Sit."

"Yes, ma'am," he snorted.

"She's gorgeous when she's bossy," Rick sighed. Michonne winked at him and followed Carol into the kitchen.

Carol was quiet, standing at the sink as hot, soapy water filled the basin.

"What's going on?" Michonne asked, stepping up beside her.

"Huh?"

"Something's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong," Carol lied.

"You think I buy that? Spill." Carol sighed then, placing the dishes into the sink and turning off the tap.

"Ed."

"Ed?"

"Yeah. I saw him today."

"You…what the hell happened?"

"He was a guest at that wedding I was photographing."

"Are you..are you ok?"

"Yeah. No. I mean, I…I don't know. It freaked me out. I called Andrea, but I don't.." She shook her head. "He was drunk. I can't imagine he'd be stupid enough to come near me if he was sober. Then again, he sent me flowers and a bottle of wine, so…"

"He admitted to that?"

"Yeah. He did," Carol sighed.

"Shit. What're you gonna do?"

"Keep doing what I've been doing, I guess? Only now I have Daryl and the kids to worry about, and I just don't want them getting hurt." She started washing the plates and handing them over to Michonne to do the rinsing. I'm more worried about them than I am about me."

"Did you talk to Daryl about it?"

"Yeah, and he's ready to beat the hell out of Ed. That would just make things worse." She shook her head. "He was drunk. Maybe it won't happen again."

"Don't do that," Michonne warned.

"Do what?"

"Reason everything away. Tie it up in a neat little bow with excuses. You used to do that when you were married to him."

"You're right." Carol frowned and passed Michonne another soapy dish.

"Maybe you could go away for a while. You and Daryl and the kids?"

"Daryl just started this new job. We can't."

"Well maybe this weekend, then? Maybe you can take the weekend off together and just get away. It's amazing what a couple of days away from everything can do for you."

"Maybe," Carol murmured, not entirely convinced.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm right in line behind Daryl, ready to kick Ed's ass."

"Thanks," Carol snorted.

"Hey, that's what friends are for." She nudged Carol's shoulder with her own. "Daryl's a good guy. I like him." She watched the smile tug at the corner of Carol's mouth.

"Yeah, he is," she sighed. "He's the best."


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

"Andrea?" Carol asked sleepily, as Daryl sat up, leaning over to turn on the bedside lamp.

"I'm sorry I'm calling so late. Sorry if I woke you."

"It's ok," Carol murmured, squinting into the light, as Daryl sat up next to her, watching her with concern. "What's wrong?"

"I wanted to tell you that I spoke with Judge Monroe, and she ordered a car out to Ed's place to ask him some questions. He wasn't home."

"Ok," Carol said slowly, heart pounding so hard she could feel it in her ears.

"One of Ed's golfing buddies was snooping around the place. They saw the police, and they started to take off. Of course, that just drew attention to them, so they were stopped and questioned. Turns out, they were coming to pick up money he apparently owed them, but they were pissed because he wasn't around. They both had a lot to say about how Ed was planning on driving by his ex's house. Apparently he's been biding his time, working up to it, and he will probably do something stupid."

"God," Carol muttered. "They said that?"

"Oh yeah," Andrea snorted. "It didn't take much for them to start talking. They mentioned the flowers and the wine. They didn't say anything about the wedding, but it was enough for the judge to put a warrant out for his arrest. Don't freak out if you see a cruiser circle your block a few times."

"Oh. Ok," Carol murmured. "Thank you for calling."

"Are you gonna be ok? You're not alone, are you?"

"No." Carol reached over and took Daryl's hand. He gave it a squeeze, and then he brought it to his lips for a kiss. "I'm not alone."

"Good. Just sit tight. We're gonna get him."

"Then what? How long 'til he's out?"

"Just try not to think about that right now." Carol couldn't help but feel that uneasy knot tightening in her stomach. She knew very well that there was a good chance Ed would get picked up, questioned, slapped on the wrist and released pending a court date. But at least somebody was listening. At least they were actively trying to find him. "Get some sleep. We're in your corner, alright?"

"Thank you," Carol replied before ending the call and putting her phone aside.

"What happened?"

"I guess Ed's buddies finally started talking," she replied, as Daryl switched off the light, pulled his arms around her and pulled her back down against the mattress. She tucked a leg over his and pressed her face against his bare chest for a moment, sighing softly. "They're trying to find him to bring him in for questioning about violating the restraining order."

"That's good, right?"

"Yeah, but it's not great. He'll be back out in no time." She shrugged. "And what's to stop him from coming after me then?"

"Christ," Daryl muttered. "You set the alarm?"

"Mmm," she murmured. "I did, but it doesn't make me feel any better."

"We're gonna stay for a few nights, if that's alright with you."

"Daryl, I feel bad. The kids should sleep in their own beds at home, and…"

"I like havin' my family under one roof." He tilted her chin gently and kissed her. "I'm gonna take us somewhere this weekend. You, me, the kids. Even the dog."

"You don't have to do that."

"I want to. I'm off this weekend."

"I have a couple of things lined up Saturday morning, but after that, I'm free." She sniffled. "You're sweet." She kissed his shoulder and snuggled up against his side. He was so warm it was like snuggling with a furnace. She lay there for a few minutes before she sighed and stood up.

"S'wrong?"

"Now I can't sleep." She got out of bed, pulling her robe on to cover herself from the chill in the room.

"Come back to bed. I'll tire you out."

"Shush," she snorted, giving him a playful smack on the behind.

Lucky was curled up on his bed by the door, and he looked up, cocking his head to the side as she stepped out of the room. Carol checked on the kids, went to the bathroom and then headed downstairs to grab a bottle of water from the fridge.

As she was shutting the door to the refrigerator, something caught her attention. A shadow against the side of the neighbor's house. She gasped, and the bottle clattered to the floor. In the darkness of the kitchen, she suddenly felt as if someone was watching her. The shadow was still for a moment, and then she saw it move, disappearing between her house and the one next door. She quickly moved to check the locks on the patio doors, before she hurried into the living room to check those. The security system was armed, and she knew that if a window broke or a door opened, the police would be there within five minutes. Still, a lot could happen in five minutes.

She moved to peek out of the window in the dining room, seeing the shadow of tree limbs courtesy of the bright street light out front. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt Daryl's hands on her waist.

"Jesus!" she hissed, spinning around and tightening her robe around herself. "You scared me."

"Sorry. Didn't mean to. You ok?" He'd thrown on some boxers and a t-shirt, and his hair was messy and sticking up in the back.

"No," she whispered. "There's someone out there."

"What?"

"Someone's outside."

"Call the cops." Carol nodded then, grabbing the home phone off the wall and quickly dialing. Daryl moved from room to room, checking the windows and doors, peering out to see if he could see anything. By the time Carol gave the address to the dispatcher and hung up, Daryl was grabbing a baseball bat out of the hall closet.

"You see anything?"

"No, but I'm gonna step out and check it out."

"No you're not! You're not going out there. Wait for the police." Daryl started for the door, but Carol grabbed his hand. "Wait!"

"This son of a bitch…"

"Daryl, don't. I don't want you getting hurt because of him. I told you I didn't want you to be part of this, and…"

"Well, that's too damned bad, 'cause I am. I love you, and I ain't gonna let him hurt you." Carol pulled her arms around his neck, and she could feel the tension in his shoulders.

"Just stop. Just wait," she whispered, burying her face against his neck. "I don't want to lose you."

"He's a real fuckin' piece of work."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Don't fuckin' apologize for him."

"I'm not," she sniffled. "I just…I never wanted any of this. I never wanted you to get pulled into this. And now you are, and I love that you want to protect me, but this is exactly what I _didn't_ want."

Something broke outside, and Carol gasped, tearing across the room to look out on the patio. The outside security light had gone dark, and glass was scattered across the patio, glistening in the moonlight.

"Shit," she panted. "He's…he's not gonna stop."

"You think he's drunk or…"

"Drunk or sober, he's still crazy, and I think he think I'm still his." She wiped at her eyes and slammed her hand against the wall in frustration. "He won't quit."

By the time the police showed up, there was nobody to be found outside. They checked the back yard as well as the back yards of neighboring homes to the fright and confusion of many neighbors. The only thing they found was the rock used to break out the security light, and there was a note dropped in the grass. All it said was _SOON_.

It was enough for the sergeant to put out an APB on Ed, but Carol knew that he wasn't going to be found. She knew that this was Ed's game, and if he wanted to play it this way, he was going to make sure he wasn't going to be caught. She knew that this wasn't over, and the thought of it made her blood run cold.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"I don't understand what all the fuss is about," Mary sighed, as Daryl paid the man who'd come to install the security system inside of Mary Dixon's trailer home. He'd even replaced the deadbolt and the locks on the sliding doors that led to a little deck out back. Daryl glanced at Carol, who sat on the couch feeding Jack.

"Just makes me feel better knowin' you're safe, Ma." He shook the man's hand and showed him out the door. Mary looked down at the packet of information in her hands, including the code to punch into the little box by the front door.

"I've never had any trouble out here, Daryl. You know that." Daryl cleared his throat and shut the door, moving to sit next to Carol. He motioned for his mother to sit down, too.

"I feel like this is all my fault," Carol offered with a heavy sigh.

"It ain't, so don't think that," Daryl insisted, placing his hand on her knee. Mary sat across from them, worry creasing her brow.

"Okay, you've been mysterious about this whole thing. I agreed to let you do this, but now I need some answers." She stared at her son, who worried his bottom lip between his teeth.

"It's nothing to do with your son," Carol promised, passing the baby over to Daryl. She rubbed her sweating palms against the sides of her legs. "It's my ex-husband."

"Oh?"

"I know I've talked to you a little about the end of my marriage and how badly things went. Well, Ed is still having trouble with all of it. He's been sneaking around."

"Oh dear."

"He cornered me after a wedding that I was photographing. He's been sending flowers to my place with notes. He knows he can't do that. He's been sneaking around at night." She felt a shiver run up her spine.

"So why don't they arrest him?"

"They can't find him. He's got money. He can hide out for a while. They're looking for him, but he's probably not a priority case."

"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry you're going through that," Mary offered, reaching out and taking Carol's hand in her own.

"I don't want anyone to get hurt. He knows about Daryl and about the children, and it would kill me if anything happened to him or to them. And because you've been helping out so much, we want to make sure you're protected."

"You think he would come here?"

"When it comes to Ed, nothing surprises me anymore."

"Ma, if anything funny happens at night, anybody knocks on your door you don't know, I don't care, call the police. Call me. Just don't forget to set your alarm when you go to bed or when you leave the house," Daryl instructed. "We're goin' outta town for the weekend, and I wanted this done before we left."

"Are you sure you don't want me to watch the kids? I'd be happy to, so you two could have some stress-free time away," Mary offered.

"That's really sweet of you," Carol said with a soft smile. "But you deserve a little break, too."

"Oh, I don't mind," Mary insisted.

"We know ya don't," Daryl chuckled. "But it ain't been easy, and I know that. So I want ya to enjoy the weekend. Put your feet up and relax. And, here…" He pulled out an envelope and handed it over to her.

"What's this?"

"Gift certificates for the movies and for that place you go to get yer nails done."

"What did I ever do to deserve such a good son?" Mary chuckled, getting up and going over to hug Daryl and then Carol.

"We'll be back Sunday night," Carol pointed out. "You have my number in your phone, so if you can't reach Daryl, call me. We'll both keep our phones on. My friend Michonne's boyfriend Rick is a cop, and he's promised to swing by your neighborhood a couple of times while we're gone."

"You really don't have to go through all this trouble. Really."

"You're Daryl's family."

"Honey," Mary insisted, giving her another hug. "I'm _your_ family, too." Carol felt tears prick her eyes, and she held them back.

"Even more reason to make sure you're safe."

...

Daryl gently brushed his thumb over Carol's knuckles as he gave her hand a squeeze on the way home.

"You're quiet."

"Hmm." She looked over at him sleepily.

"You ok?"

"Yeah. I'm getting there," she whispered. "Your mother." Daryl nodded.

"I think she's already picking out china patterns." He snorted but Carol didn't laugh. Instead, she felt her lower lip tremble. Daryl glanced at her. "What's wrong?"

"I swear, I don't know what I'd do if it wasn't for you or your mother. You've both been…" She sniffled then, as and she shook her head. "You've both been so understanding. You probably should have run for the hills."

"I ain't runnin' nowhere if you ain't there with me." Carol smiled at that, and she wiped at her eyes. "Now no more worryin'. Tomorrow, we're hittin' the road, and we're not gonna think about that asshole once."

"Easy for you to say."

"Ain't easy at all. Honestly, I just wanna hunt the bastard down and tie him to a tree; let the coyotes find him." Carol leaned her head back against the headrest and looked out the window. She felt Daryl's fingers tighten around hers. "You remember everything when you took Lucky to Michonne's?"

"Yeah, though it broke my heart driving away from him. He gave me those sad eyes, and he barked." She frowned. "God, what am I gonna do when Charlie goes off to kindergarten?" She caught herself, but Daryl just grinned, glancing at her for a moment.

"You're probably gonna cry, and we'll probably just sit out in the parking lot 'til school's over."

"Yeah, that sounds about right." Daryl brought her hand up to his lips and pressed a kiss there, and she smiled, biting her lip and feeling herself relax as she settled back for the rest of the ride back to Daryl's place.

...

Daryl came up behind Carol, wrapping his arms around her waist as she leaned over the crib in Jack's nursery. The baby was sleepy but staring up at her, sticking his milky tongue out and kicking his little legs. She'd bathed him and diapered him and dressed him in a snuggly blue sleeper with brown teddy bears patterned over it, and now he was settling down in his crib.

"What're you doin'?"

"An impromptu photo session with your son," she whispered. Daryl kissed the back of her neck and chuckled, the low, deep sound vibrating against her back as he held her close. "You have good lighting in here, and he's pretty photogenic."

"Yeah, he's kinda cute, ain't he?"

"He's growing into those goofy Dixon ears."

"Hey," Daryl protested, tickling her. She laughed, leaning back against his bare chest. "Charlie's sleeping?"

"Out like a light."

"I got some good shots of her earlier, when you were washing up dishes."

"Gimme that." He reached for the camera, and she pulled away.

"Why?"

"Just trust me." She sighed, and she handed him the camera. Jack started to fuss, so Carol scooped him up, holding him against her chest and kissing the top of his fuzzy little head. She heard the camera snap, and she looked up, her bright blue eyes wide.

"What?"

"You're always takin' pictures of me and the kids. Somebody ought to take your picture one in a while."

"Oh, please," she snorted.

"You're beautiful, babe." Carol bit her lip then, and he took another picture. "You're a part of this family, too, ya know?"

"Yeah," she murmured, sighing as Jack yawned and closed his eyes as the beat of Carol's heart relaxed him. "Oh, now he's good." Jack was going through a phase where he wanted to be rocked to sleep, or at the very least, he liked to fall asleep with a beating heart against his ear. It relaxed him, and he was slowly beginning to sleep through the night.

She gently touched his tiny hand with her fingertip, and Daryl snapped another picture.

"I hope you're aiming for the kid," she laughed.

"He's out," Daryl chuckled. "Put him down, and we'll take this to bed." He cocked an eyebrow at her, and she feigned shock.

"Daryl Dixon, I don't know what kind of girl you think I am."

"Mine," he smirked, as Carol put the baby back into the crib. He whimpered for a moment, opening his eyes to look up at her and then at Daryl, and then he yawned and closed his eyes and was out after a few moments of fighting it.

Daryl took Carol's hand, and he led her down the hall to his room. Once behind the closed door, he pulled her into a hug, hand gently gliding down her back. She smiled against his lips when he kissed her.

"Put down the camera, and then we'll go to bed, Dixon."

"You just last name me?"

"Yeah," she laughed.

"It's gonna be that kinda night?"

"Yeah," she smirked, raising an eyebrow as she playfully ran her hands down his chest. Daryl put the camera down on the night stand, and he sat down on the bed, hands on her hips as she stood between his legs.

"Can't wait to get you away from this place for a couple days."

"You realize staying in a hotel room with two babies isn't going to be very sexy."

"We can still take my mom up on her offer. It ain't too late."

"No we _are not_. She deserves a little break. I'm just saying, we're not going to have much _alone_ time if you know what I mean."

"That's alright," he murmured. "Guess we'll have to make up for it tonight." He kissed her neck, and she smiled, leaning her head back. "Tomorrow, we can focus on bein' together as a family."

"I like the sound of that," she admitted, closing her eyes as he pulled her down onto the mattress and kissed her until all words were lost to passion.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

"Ok, you've been awfully mysterious about this entire trip. I'm starting to think we're just driving and never going home," Carol mused from the passenger's seat of her car. She peeked into the backseat where Charlie was snoozing. She could see Jack's reflection in the little mirror Daryl had installed between the two back seats. He was suckling on his fingers, eyelids heavy with approaching sleep.

"Well, I was lyin' to you when I told ya we were gettin' a hotel room."

"Okay…" Carol glanced at him for a moment, and Daryl smirked. "So where _are_ we going?"

"You said you ain't never been campin'."

"You remembered that?"

"'Course."

"But, Daryl…camping with a baby and a toddler?"

"Well, it ain't exactly campin'. Figured the first time I really take ya, it'll be just the two of us. Least 'til the kids are older."

"So…we're going camping, but we're not going camping?"

"Exactly."

"Okay then," Carol chuckled.

"You trust me?"

"You know I do."

"Then just enjoy the ride."

"Oh, okay. Let's just try that."

"Dada, hungry!" Charlotte suddenly chirped from the back seat.

"Hey, sleepyhead. When did you wake up?" Carol asked, reaching back to tickle Charlotte's tummy. Charlie yawned and rubbed her eyes. Carol glanced at Daryl. "I'm a little hungry myself. We should stop. Plus, I think Jack's diaper's getting a little ripe. I'm surprised he hasn't woken up yet."

"Good timing," he murmured, taking a turn down a country road.

"What?"

"I packed us a lunch."

"When did you manage to do that?" Carol chuckled.

"When you were in the shower this mornin'."

"Oh, sneaky." Carol leaned across the seat and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Daryl pulled over to the side of the road, where there was a small clearing with a few abandoned picnic tables. There was a small duck pond and a little playground with equipment that looked at least thirty years old. "This looks like the stuff I used to play on at recess."

"Might be," Daryl snorted. "My ma used to bring me and Merle here on weekends when my dad was workin' over. Sometimes, she'd just bring me."

"It's quiet out here."

"Used to not be. There used to be a dozen kids at least runnin' around out here. Thought Charlie might like it."

"I think Charlie might need a tetanus shot after playing on that slide," Carol noted. Daryl made a face.

"Guess they ain't really kept it up, huh?"

"No, but it's ok. It's still a nice place to have a picnic." They got out of the car, and Daryl changed Jack's diaper in the back seat, while Carol got Charlie out of her car seat and dug out the lunch Daryl had packed. He'd had everything on ice to keep it cool, and Carol was just impressed at the thought he'd put into it. "You want to help me, Miss Charlotte?" Charlie giggled, and she climbed up on the seat of the picnic table, as Carol sat out paper plates and plastic spoons and forks. Daryl had packed some roast beef and bread to make sandwiches, potato salad, cottage cheese and some bottled water. He brought a juice box and a little lunch of apple slices, cheese cubes and chicken nuggets for Charlie.

Charlie found a distraction in a butterfly, while Carol set the table, and Daryl carried Jack over in his car seat, placing it up on the table.

"How long you wanna bet it'll take him to cry for a bottle once we start eatin'?" Daryl asked, shaking up Jack's bottle, as the boy made a sucking motion with his mouth. "My bet's not long."

"I can feed him if you want to get started," Carol offered.

"Nah, you eat. I'm good," he promised, tucking a blanket in alongside Jack's head and propping his bottle up. It seemed to do the trick, and Jack closed his eyes and began to eat, as Daryl pulled Charlie back up onto the picnic bench, distracting her from her new butterfly friend with a cold juice box.

They made small talk as they ate, while Charlie made a charming show of eating her lunch, much to Daryl's exasperation, though he couldn't deny that he loved how Carol found amusement in the tot's antics. He loved seeing her smile. The last thing he wanted was to see that worry and fear come creeping back into her eyes.

By the time they were packing up their picnic lunch, a few curious ducks had wandered over from the other side of the pond.

"Guckies!" Charlie screeched. "Guckies, Dada!" Daryl chuckled. "We feed them?"

"Hold on, I'll take ya over," Daryl promised. He put the last of the picnic lunch leftovers in the back of the car, grabbing a handful of grapes out of the snack bag and glancing at Carol. "Think they'll eat these?"

"You can try," Carol offered, grabbing Jack's car seat and carrying him over by the water, while Daryl hoisted Charlie into his arms and walked her over to the water's edge. He gave her a grape at a time, and she tossed each one into the water with a resounding _plop!_ The ducks went for them right away, grabbing them with their beaks and gobbling them down. Charlie laughed and clapped, and Carol snuck a couple of photos of her with Daryl.

When all the grapes were gone, they piled back into the car and headed back down the road.

...

Jack had been the first to fall asleep, and Charlie had held out as long as she could, but soon, silence filled the car, and Carol had found herself almost hypnotized by the winding roads and the falling leaves, and it wasn't long before she found herself dozing off.

Daryl hadn't wanted to wake her. He knew she'd been exhausted lately, restless at night. He'd woken several times in the night to find her up for a glass of water or just sitting by the window staring out at the sky. He hated that Ed had her worked up like this and wished there was something he could do to put her at ease. He was hoping that by the time they got back home, Ed would already be in jail awaiting a court date, but he wasn't so certain they'd be that lucky. All he knew was that if he ever came to face to face with the son of a bitch, he was going to have a hard time holding himself back from kicking the shit out of him.

Daryl checked his GPS. They were almost there. He'd found this place after a quick search on the Internet. The reviews were favorable, and he was hoping for a quiet weekend with his family.

It wasn't long before the smokestacks came into view, and he took a turn down an old dirt road, winding around the lake and to the start of a line of cabins spaced almost a mile apart. Seclusion, quiet, peace. That was all he wanted for them this weekend.

He gently took Carol's hand and gave it a squeeze. She yawned, rousing from her sleep, and she blinked a few times, glancing around.

"We're almost there," he promised.

"We're in the middle of nowhere," Carol pointed out.

"Exactly," he chuckled.

"Is that a cabin?"

"Mmmhmm."

"Looks empty," Carol pointed out.

"Probably is. They don't get much in the way of visitors here this time of year, I guess. They had a lot of vacancies."

"You got us a cabin?"

"For the weekend. Yep. Two rooms, a fireplace if it gets cool. Nothin' but fresh air and woods surroundin' the place."

"So…camping but not camping." Daryl nodded then, squeezing her hand. "Daryl, it's beautiful out here."

"Hope the place is worth it. Got a real good deal, so I'm hopin' we didn't get screwed here." Carol laughed at that, and when Daryl slowed and turned into a long drive, she gasped softly at the sight of the changing leaves fluttering about in the wind, scattering across the gravel drive.

A quaint little cabin came into view complete with a porch swing out front and a small grill. A footpath led down to a walking trail, and Daryl couldn't help but feel his heart swell when he saw the smile spread across Carol's face.

"I love it," she whispered. "Thank you for bringing me here."

"We ain't seen the inside yet," he pointed out. "C'mon, let's get the kids out and check the place out." Carol nodded, and she got a sleepy Charlie out of her car seat while Daryl snapped Jack's car seat into the stroller and pushed it up the path to the cabin. There was a small lock box beside the door, and Daryl punched in a code, unlocking it for the key. Carol felt giddy as they stepped into the place. She'd half expected a dusty old fishing shack, but inside, it was spotless. It was fully furnished with a couch, chairs, a coffee table, a TV and a small, round dining table. The kitchen was fully equipped, and when Carol made her way to the refrigerator and was surprised to find it stocked with some of her favorite foods and her favorite wine. She turned to eye him.

"You really thought this through, didn't you? Here you made me think we were getting some small hotel room just to get away."

"Surprised?"

"Pleasantly," she chuckled. "This is so romantic, Daryl." She saw him blush, and she closed the fridge before moving to the back of the cabin where there was a master bedroom with a Queen sized bed and a smaller room with a twin sized bed and room for the pack-and-play. Her eyes widened, and she turned to Daryl with a grin. "You _really_ outdid yourself, Mr. Dixon."

"You really think I was gonna cram the two of us and two babies in one room? 'Sides, I got plans."

"Oh, you do, huh?"

"Mmm," he murmured, coming up behind her and hugging her from behind. Charlie giggled and Carol let her down to explore. She turned and wrapped her arms around Daryl's neck, kissing him softly.

"I love you," she whispered against his lips, as his hands moved down her back, pulling her closer.

"Love you, too," he murmured. When he let go of her, she pouted, and he smirked. "C'mon." He took her hand.

"Where are we going?"

"Let's unpack, then we're gonna wear these kids out so they'll sleep good tonight."

"Oooh, I like the way you think," she laughed, as they hurried out to bring in the stuff from the car.

...

"Shit," Daryl muttered, as one of the front double-wheels of the stroller got stuck between to rocks. Carol bit her lip and tried not to laugh as Daryl tried maneuvering the two-seated stroller. Up top, Jack slept nestled in his car seat clipped into the stroller. Charlie sat up front, kicking her legs and babbling softly to herself.

"You don't use this much, huh?"

"Not really," he snorted. "My mom bought it when Jack was born, saying it'd be easier to get around this way, but shit, this thing's awkward." He got the wheel unstuck, and Charlie clapped her hands. "Thanks for the support, kid." Charlie grinned, and Daryl tickled her tummy. Carol noticed something on the wheel, and she snorted.

"Um, I think you've got the one side locked."

"Huh? Nah."

"No, really," she grinned, leaning down and flipping the little red switch by one of the wheels. "Try it now." Daryl eyed her before pushing the stroller forward with greater ease. Carol pursed her lips and tried not to laugh as Daryl's face turned a couple shades of red. "It's ok, Pookie. I'll still sleep with you."

"Thanks," he snorted. "Yeah, this is better."

"See?" They started down the path, and Carol tucked her hands into her pockets, leaning back and reveling in the sunlight that filtered through the treetops, warming her face. "It's so quiet out here."

"I'd live out here if I could," he considered. "Hell, if it was just me, I'd probably build a place in the woods and never leave."

"I always loved those big houses out in the middle of nowhere. I like being in town because it's close to everything, but there's something peaceful about not having neighbors to worry about. No car alarms going off at two in the morning. It's just quiet. I'd love to live out in the country someday. A little house with a big yard where the kids could run around with Lucky."

"You're thinkin' 'bout that stuff?" Daryl asked. Carol blushed and shrugged her shoulders.

"Sure I am. I mean, I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon, and going back and forth between our houses is going to get old after a while." She felt her heart skip a beat when he looked at her. "I'm not saying I'm ready for that yet, but…someday, yes." She smiled then, when he leaned over and kissed her softly.

"I'm thinkin' about that, too." When she looked at him then, she saw a whole future. Marriage. Babies. A white picket fence with a couple of dogs and maybe a cat running around the front yard. She could see herself scheduling photo shoots between soccer games and piano classes. She could see him coming home, tired and dirty after work, kissing her and going up to shower as she sat on the bathroom counter and told him about her day. It was a nice thought. It was one she'd tried to stop all too often in the middle of the night when she felt safe and happy with him. She didn't want to let herself get too comfortable, because she knew Ed was just waiting to rip it all apart for her if he could. Still, being here with him and with the kids, she knew what she wanted, and this was it. And it was going to be all too brief. Monday morning they'd be back home, and everything would change.

"Ok," she murmured with a smile, trembling as he touched her cheek.

"You ok?"

"Yeah," she whispered, taking his hand. "Come on. Let's keep going."

...

"You sure you're ok?" He stepped into the bedroom and shut the door, putting the baby monitor on the bedside table before turning to where she was sitting on the bed.

"I'm fine," she promised with a smile.

"You been quiet since earlier."

"I'm ok. "

"M'sorry if…if I said somethin' that…"

"You didn't," she insisted, tugging on his hand and pulling him to sit on the mattress with her. "I promise." She gently ran her thumb along his jaw and kissed him. "I love you. I guess I started getting ahead of myself and…"

"You got scared."

"Yeah," she admitted. Daryl nodded, and he ran his hand over her thigh.

"Scares me a little, too."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," he admitted. "Hell, I ain't never had nothin' so good as this. Sometimes I'm afraid I'm gonna wake up, and you ain't gonna be there, and I'll spend the rest of my life kickin' my own ass for fucking everything up."

"What makes you think you'll be the fuck up?" Carol laughed. "I'm the one with a failed marriage under her belt."

"Ain't your fault."

"No," she agreed. "But, I'm also the one that was afraid to move on after Ed, because I was afraid of letting myself be happy. I didn't want it all to get taken away." She smiled. "But then you came along, and you made me want those things again. Marriage. A family. A home. Someone to come home to after a long day at work and bitch to." Daryl smirked, and she chuckled. "I want those things." She took a shaky breath.

"Then you'll have 'em," Daryl promised, kissing her again. "I ain't goin' nowhere, and I ain't gonna rush you. I just want ya to know it's ok to want those things, 'cause I wanna give 'em to ya." Carol smiled then, feeling the tears sting her eyes. She leaned in, kissing him slowly then, letting everything else but the taste of his lips against hers and the feel of his hands against her skin melt away.

He took his time, undressing her, ridding himself of his own clothing, settling against her on the bed, kissing his way down her body. She shivered under his touch, closing her eyes as his mouth closed over her breast, teasing the nipple before he placed soft kisses to the underside while his hand teased the other. He pressed soft kisses to her stomach and her hips, and she sighed, biting her lip as his hand moved between her legs, teasing her, making her gasp as her body responded to his tender touches.

Her hands were in his hair the moment his mouth was on her, suckling and nipping and teasing her as her body shook beneath his. Her moans were stifled as she bit her lip to keep from crying out, and his hands moved to her thighs, spreading her out before him as he made her come with one last tease of his tongue against her clit.

When her fingers tightened in his hair and her body tensed up, he backed off, watching her fly as she panted and moaned, body glistening with seat.

He moved over her then, kissing her softly, letting her taste herself on his tongue. She moaned, panting against his mouth as he whispered softly against her kisses. His hand was between her legs again, and she cried out, still sensitive as he pressed two fingers into her, stroking her, stretching her with a third until her muscles were squeezing around him. He moved his hand down behind her knee, pulling her leg around his hip before blindly reaching for the box of condoms he'd set out earlier. Carol pressed kisses to his neck as he rolled to his side and tore open the packet before rolling the condom over his length. She surprised him then, pushing on his shoulders, rolling him onto his back as she climbed over him, taking him in her hand, squeezing him from the base and stroking upward to get his attention. He moaned then, reaching up to grip her hips as she slid down onto him slowly and fully. He never took his eyes off of hers, watching the way her head rolled back momentarily as her body adjusted to him.

"So beautiful," he murmured, as her hands moved to his chest and she began to ride him. Her head rolled forward then, and she closed her eyes, moaning and shuddering as this angle had her body thrumming.

"Daryl," she panted, gasping as he thrust his hips up to meet hers. "Oh God!"

"Open your eyes for me," he bit out, squeezing her hips with his fingertips. She looked at him then, and his hands moved up her back, one gently pressing behind her neck and guiding her down to meet him. Her hands bunched into the pillow behind his head, and she began to rock against him as she met him for a kiss. His hands moved to grip her legs, holding onto her, helping her rock as he met her thrust for thrust. And when he felt her tighten around him, he surprised her by flipping her onto her back and thrusting deep. Her eyes blew wide, and she gripped his shoulders, unable to speak as a cry tore from deep inside of her.

" _Daryl_ ," she cried, as he buried his face against her neck, pushing his hands deep into the mattress as he thrust harder, faster, deeper. When she squeezed around him once again and that flood of heat surrounded him, he let go, and her hands relaxed against his back, rubbing soothing circles there until his breathing slowed and his body grew heavy upon hers. He started to roll away, but she held him close, pressing soft kisses to his jaw and to his brow.

"You ok?" he panted, as her hand moved to brush the hair from his eyes. "I hurt you?"

"I'm good," she promised. "You won't break me, Daryl." A sleepy smile fell over Daryl's lips, and he pressed his forehead against hers. She smiled when he shifted his weight to the mattress and rested his head between her breasts. Her fingers gently came to comb through his hair as short puffs of warm breath warmed her skin. Her heart was full. Her own words echoed in her head, and soon, she fell asleep entwined with him, a hint of a smile upon her lips until her dreams pulled her under.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

"Morning," he murmured, kissing the back of her neck. She smiled, burying her face into the pillow as the morning light slipped through the slats in the blinds.

"Kids awake yet?" she whispered.

"Nope," he murmured, kissing her shoulder as she pulled her arm back to stroke the back of his head.

"Mmm," she hummed, rolling onto her back and biting her lip as she looked up into his sleepy eyes. "Time is it?"

"'Bout seven thirty."

"Oh, they let us sleep in today?"

"Guess they knew we needed a little time, huh?" Daryl asked, as Carol smiled up at him and leaned up for a kiss. She pulled back and brushed a strand of hair from his eyes.

"Ok, I need up."

"You ain't gotta get up yet."

"Yes I do," she laughed.

"Why?" He was almost pouting, and Carol laughed, gently pushing on his shoulders.

"I need to pee," she whispered. Daryl snorted then, burying his face against his neck for a moment, kissing her there, moving his hand down her stomach and between her legs. "I _really_ have to pee."

"C'mon, just…"

"Nope!" she laughed, pushing on his shoulders and successfully wrenching herself away from him. She pulled on her robe and dashed to the bathroom. Daryl chuckled, grabbing his boxers off the floor and sliding them on.

He padded down the hallway, and just as he reached the bathroom, he heard the shower cut on and the toilet flush. He gently tapped with his knuckles, and when he didn't get a response, he pushed the door open. He could see her bare backside through the glass of the shower door, and he felt himself getting hard just thinking about being buried inside of her. He dropped his boxers then, kicking them to the side next to her robe on the floor.

He opened the shower door, and she paused for a moment but didn't turn around. His hands were on her hips now, and he stepped in behind her, kissing the back of her neck as the door shut behind him.

"Sneaky," she whispered, as he leaned into her, letting the hot water shower onto them both.

"Just savin' water," he offered, nibbling at her earlobe.

"Oh, so you're just being eco-friendly?"

"Hmm."

"Okay, I can get on board with that," she chuckled, as his hands moved up her waist, cupping her breasts. "You're playing with fire, Dixon."

"Know it," he mumbled, pressing his erection into the cleft of her ass. She sucked in a sharp breath, arching back against him as his hand disappeared between her legs, stroking her as the hot water rained down on them both. "This ok?"

"Oh yeah," she panted. "Keep going."

"Yeah?"

"Mmm," she moaned, gripping the handrail and leaning forward as Daryl kissed the back of her neck again, trailing his lips and tongue down her spine and back up until she was trembling in his hands. "Daryl…" She was panting, sighing as his hands worked her over, and then he was moving to his knees, and she turned, gripping the handrail with her other hand. She looked down at him, and he looked up at her, hands moving up to her hips, worshiping her skin with each gentle caress. She cried out softly when he buried his face between her legs, teasing her with his tongue, lapping at her center like a man starved. Her feet slipped against the shower floor, and she gripped the rail tighter, as Daryl draped one of her legs over his shoulders, opening her up to him. "Oh fuck. Oh… _fuck_." Her other hand snaked through his hair, gripping the back of his head as her blood boiled beneath the surface of her sensitive skin.

He took his time with her, slow and sensual, hands roaming over her ass and back and the backs of her thighs. She was shaking, standing there as he worshiped her, and when she cried out his name once more, he pulled back, replacing his tongue with his hand, stroking her until she was bracing herself against the shower wall, riding out the high of her climax. He stood then, watching as her eyes slowly fluttered open, barely giving her any time to recover before his lips were on hers, and he was draping her leg over his hip sliding his cock between her dripping folds. He knew they couldn't, knew they shouldn't, but fuck, it would have been so easy to slide home, no barrier between them.

"Better move this back to the bedroom," he growled against her ear, gasping as her hand curled around the base of his cock. " _Fuck!_ " His mouth was on hers again, and her tongue slid against his, and everything was spinning for a moment as the water continued to rain down on them, hot and stinging.

"Daryl," she panted, rubbing her thumb along the head of his dick, squeezing him from base to tip again, as he thrust into her hand.

"Fuck, Carol," he panted, burying his face against her chest, gathering up his composure as her hand worked him over. "I…fuck…I need ya."

"It's ok," she panted. "It's ok." She was whimpering now, and she let go of him, bracing herself between him and the wall, her hands tight on his shoulders. "It's ok."

"You sure?" he groaned, pushing into her. "You sure?"

"Mmm," she nodded. "I trust you."

"Yeah?"

"Please," she panted. "Daryl…"

"A'right," he murmured, kissing her again, pulling her closer, pulling her leg tighter around his hips. He pushed into her then, quick and hard, and she cried out against his lips, smiling when he stilled and pulled back to look at her.

"God," she panted. "You… _oh…"_ She closed her eyes then, biting into the inside of her bottom lip as he began to thrust up into her, stretching her in that delicious, addictive way. The feeling of him inside of her, nothing between them, it was a new. She knew it probably wasn't responsible, it probably wasn't smart, but hell if it didn't fell like fucking heaven.

Her knees were shaking, and she was losing control, each upward thrust rubbing his pelvis against her clit, making her whine against his mouth, hungry for more. And when he let go of her leg and slid out of her, she gasped at the sensation, opening her eyes to see his staring back at her, dark, hungry for her. His hands were on her hips then, spinning her around, and she bit her bottom lip, smiling as she bent over, grabbing the hand rail and feeling him hard against her backside. She spread her legs for him, feeling him sliding against her, and then he was pushing home again, and she couldn't stop the scream that left her lips when he was fully inside of her, pulsing inside of her as her walls clenched around him. His hand came down her stomach, between her legs, playing with her clit as he began to move, his hips slapping against her ass with each thrust, arm desperately curling around her middle to keep him grounded.

She moved with him, bringing her free hand back to caress his neck as he pressed kisses to her shoulder. Her hand trailed down her own body, down between her breasts, clasping over his hand that was pressed firmly at her stomach. She cried out, clenching around him as he pushed her over the edge again, and she leaned forward, pressing her forehead against the shower wall, crying out as Daryl's movements became faster, a little harder.

She felt him let go, felt him slump over her as he came, biting back his moans as the world spun around them. She sighed then, and he slid out of her, turning her to face him, meeting her with a sweet kiss and pulling her flush against him.

"You ok?" he murmured, as she panted against his mouth.

"Yeah," she whispered. "Yeah." She kissed him again, softly, slowly, and when she pulled back, the water began to run cool. "You wanna wash my back before we both freeze?" Daryl snorted then, and they fell into one another, laughing as the water went cold.

...

Carol blushed as she sat on the edge of the bed and tied her shoes. Daryl was staring at her as he did up the button on his jeans. She couldn't help but admire his body, the way the water dripped off of his hair and slid down his chest, getting caught in the fine smattering of chest hair. She bit her lip, feeling a rush of heat that was almost infuriating, because there was nothing they could do about it now, because the kids would be waking soon.

Daryl tugged a T-shirt over his head and moved to sit next to Carol on the bed.

"You sure you're ok?"

"Yeah," she promised. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You realize what that was, right?" Daryl asked. Carol blushed again.

"I'm not worried. I trust you," she promised. "And I know I'm clean."

"I know I am, too, but that ain't everything we got to worry about."

"I know," Carol promised. "I was married to Ed for five years and never got pregnant. I'm not even sure I can, honestly. But I went on the pill a couple of weeks ago."

"Oh," Daryl said slowly. "You didn't say anything?"

"No, I just…it's kind of a weird conversation to have, isn't it? Honey, I'm on the pill, so if you run out of condoms, it's ok. That's…" She shook her head. "That's a big step, though."

"Yeah," Daryl agreed. "If you ain't ready, we can go back to…"

"I liked it," she admitted. Her face felt hot, and she saw the blush creep onto his cheeks as well.

"So, we're not using condoms anymore?"

"We're not seeing other people."

"Hell no," Daryl muttered.

"We're together. We're staying at each other's places. I mean, we're good."

"We're good," he agreed.

"Ok," Carol said slowly, feeling her nerves slowly calming.

"Ok," he grunted, clearing his throat and tugging on his boots. "You hungry?"

"Starving," she chuckled, as Daryl leaned over to kiss her again, his breath minty fresh.

"C'mon. I'll make us some breakfast, and then we'll hit the trail."


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

"Stop," he huffed, as Carol froze in her tracks, pulling back on the big, clunky stroller to keep it from going downhill.

"You ok?" she called.

"Hell, I can't keep up with ya."

"And that's why it's a good thing you're cutting back on your smoking," Carol teased.

"Could go for a cigarette right now," he muttered, jogging to catch up with her. Carol smiled and let him take over pushing the stroller.

They'd been out on the trail for a couple of hours, and Jack had been asleep for most of it. Charlie was napping with a little flower clutched in her chubby hand. She'd seen it and squealed until Daryl had gone and picked it for her.

"Look," Carol murmured, pointing to what looked like a small gazebo out in the trees. "What's this doing out here?"

"Looks like a place to stop and rest," Daryl offered, as they headed toward it.

It was old, and the white paint had started chipping long ago, making it look older than it probably was. Carol grabbed her camera out of the diaper bag and jogged up ahead, crouching down into the brush to get a few snaps as the sunlight filtered down from the treetops. She smiled when she heard the crunch of leaves under the stroller wheels, and she stood up and turned to him.

"It's so beautiful. I wonder why nobody keeps it up?" She thought back to that day they'd found that old boat by the pier, left to the elements. She moved to step up into it.

"Careful," Daryl urged, locking the wheels of the stroller so it wouldn't go anywhere. He stepped up behind her in it, and she smiled, snapping a few more pictures of the area around them. He loved watching her find the beauty in things he never would have thought were beautiful. An old, broken down gazebo in the woods certainly wasn't on his list of things to stop and look at, but he appreciated it through her eyes, watching her mind run wild with possibilities.

"You could string lights up here and lead it back to one of the cabins. A little paint and some reinforcement, and this could be a nice place to have a party. Even a small wedding." Daryl chuckled then, wrapping his arms around her from behind. She snuggled back against him when he kissed her neck. "I should build one of these in the studio. It'd be a nice place to take engagement pictures."

"Yeah, we could do that. I could help."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Thank you." She turned in his arms and gave him a kiss, and when she pulled back, he chased her lips for one more. She smiled against his mouth.

"You happy?" he asked.

"Very," she offered, though the doubt clouded her features for a brief moment. "I don't want to go home."

"Hell, I'll call in tomorrow, and you make your own hours, so it ain't like…"

"Stop," she laughed. "At this point, it wouldn't take much to talk me into it, and I don't want you calling into work when you just got this job." She kissed his nose. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she frowned. "Ok, I'm not checking that."

"What?"

"Somebody just sent me a message."

"Go on. It might be your lawyer." Carol frowned. She'd wanted to forget all about it, but she also knew that if it was Andrea, it had to be important, so she grabbed her phone, raising an eyebrow when she saw the message was actually from Michonne. She tapped the screen, and the message simply read:

 _You need to come back to town. Now._

A moment later, her phone began to ring, and she looked up at Daryl with wide eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked. She shook her head, and she brought her phone to her ear, hoping her reception would hold on long enough to take this call.

"Hello?"

"Carol, it's Andrea. Are you ok?"

"What? Yeah. Yeah, I'm ok," Carol murmured. "What's going on?"

"Where are you?"

"We're a few hours away. What's…what's going on? Is it Ed? Did you find him?"

"Ok, I need you to listen to me," Andrea said calmly, "I need you to get back as soon as you can. And I need you to make sure you're not alone."

"Oh God, Andrea, just…just tell me what's going on."

"Honey, I'm so sorry."

"Andrea, you're scaring me. Please!" Daryl was right there, his hand on her arm, keeping his eyes on her face as her lower lip trembled.

"Carol, your neighbors called 911 about an hour ago. Honey, I'm so sorry, but there was a fire. Your house…it's…it's gone." Carol felt the air leave her lungs, and she stumbled backward. Daryl reached out, steadying her, watching her face for any sign of what was happening.

"What? You…you're sure?"

"They got the fire out, but there was nothing they could save. If you want to come meet with me, we can get the ball rolling with your insurance, and…"

"Andrea," Carol murmured. "It was Ed."

"They haven't found him yet," Andrea said quietly. "They're investigating for signs of arson. They found a cigarette butt outside in one of the flower beds." Carol moved to sit down on a tree stump, and Daryl crouched down in front of her. "The neighbor that called 911 said she saw a man fitting Ed's description fleeing the scene. She says she saw that same man outside of your house the night before last."

"Oh God," Carol murmured. "This…this isn't happening."

"I'm so sorry," Andrea murmured. "But you have insurance, so that's good. It shouldn't be too difficult to get you a settlement and get you into a new place soon. Until then, your insurance should be able to put you up in a hotel until everything gets settled." Carol didn't know what to say. "Are you going to be ok? Are you with someone?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm…I have someone."

"Good. Can you get back to Senoia ok?"

"Yeah," Carol choked out. "I'll be there soon." She dropped the phone into her lap and covered her face with her hands for a moment.

"What happened?" he asked. Carol shook her head, and Daryl gently took her hands in his. "What happened?"

"This will never stop. He won't stop until he kills me." She blinked, and her tears fell. Daryl gently wiped them away. "He burned my fucking house down." Something between a laugh and a sob escaped her lips, and she began to shake.

"What?" Daryl asked, anger rising in his voice.

"Someone called 911. My house is _gone_ , Daryl. Everything I own that isn't in my studio. It's just gone." She laughed then, a hollow sound that only echoed the shock that ravaged her body in that moment. "I knew he was sick. I knew something snapped in him. But even this…this I wouldn't have…" She broke then, and Daryl pulled her into his arms.

"Hey," he murmured, as she began to sob. "I'm here. You got me. Alright?" She was inconsolable. And he knew why. It wasn't just a house. They weren't just possessions. That house had been her first taste of independence, her first step into a new life away from him, away from the toxic marriage that had took such a toll on her. And Ed had just burnt it to the ground.

"They sure it was him?"

"I double checked _everything_ ," Carol choked out. "I didn't leave anything plugged in or turned on. I double checked."

"I know. Hey, I know." He kissed the top of her head.

"Someone saw him outside the house. It was him, Daryl."

"Ok," he murmured. "Ok. This is what we're gonna do. We're gonna go back, and you're gonna stay at my place 'til this gets sorted out. And I ain't askin'. I don't want ya to be alone with him runnin' around out there." Carol nodded and sniffled, wiping at her eyes.

"I have to meet with Andrea, and I have to call my insurance."

"Alright. Let's get back home first, and then we'll figure out the rest, ok?"

...

The car ride was a blur. The following hours speaking with police, with Andrea, with the insurance company over the phone was like sleepwalking. She was there but she wasn't. She vaguely remembered dropping the kids off with Mary, and she could hear Mary's voice as she leaned into the car window and told her everything would be ok, that they would take care of her. She knew Michonne was there, that Daryl was holding her hand, but everything else was just noise.

She remembered pulling up outside what used to be her home to see nothing but a foundation, warped siding, busted out and blackened windows, ash and smoke fogging out the sunlight. She remembered staring blankly, remembering the first time she'd stepped into that home as its owner, as a woman broken free from a suffocating, poisonous marriage.

Sometime, on the car ride back to Daryl's place, Carol had passed out from pure emotional exhaustion. The next thing she knew, she was waking up on the couch with Lucky snuggled up next to her and Charlie playing with her dollies close by at the coffee table.

"Hey, you're up." She hadn't expected _that_ familiar voice, but it was a welcome one. She turned her head to see Michonne sitting in the recliner with little Jack in her lap.

"Mich? What're you doing here?"

"Daryl went to the store to get a few things. He didn't want to leave you alone. I followed you guys back from the lawyer's office. Don't you remember?" Carol shook her head.

"Sorry. I'm kind of out of it."

"It's ok. I get it," Michonne offered softly. "I'm sorry."

"Thanks," Carol whispered, sitting up and watching Lucky hop down from the couch and run over to see what Charlie was up to. "Any news on Ed?"

"Well, his picture's all over the news. I guess he dropped his wallet or something when he was running off. They found a business card of his. That, and the neighbor's description was enough to make him the number one suspect. His face is all over the news. It won't be long."

"You know Ed," Carol groaned, holding her head in her hands.

"Here." Michonne got up, putting Jack in his swing, and she grabbed a bottle of aspirin out of her purse. She handed a couple of them to Carol and gave her a bottle of water.

"Got anything stronger?" Carol asked with a weak smile. She popped the aspirin into her mouth and washed them down before leaning back against the couch. "How long's he been gone?"

"A few minutes. He said he wouldn't be long."

"My studio?"

"Still locked up tight."

"One of my good cameras was at the house."

"Let the insurance company worry about that. You'll get another one."

"God," Carol murmured, "this is…"

"I know," Michonne murmured, moving to sit on the couch with her friend. "I brought some of my clothes over for you."

"You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to, so shush."

"Thank you," Carol murmured. "For everything."

"Tomorrow, the insurance company wants you to make a list of everything you lost."

"God," Carol choked out, "I can't even begin to think about all of that."

"Daryl and I will help you," Michonne promised. "You're not doing this alone." Carol nodded then, leaning her head back against the couch. She'd never truly been alone, even when she'd been stuck in that marriage with Ed. Michonne had been there, helping her get out, helping her start her life over. She'd been there at the worst of times, and Carol was forever grateful for that. Now, not only did she have Michonne, but she had Daryl, too. She knew this was bad, that this was a disaster, but having them both to help her made things feel a little less hopeless.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

"Dixon, you've got a visitor." Merle Dixon looked up from the book spread out in his lap. The guard folded his arms and stared at him sternly. He was the friendliest of the guards, but that wasn't saying much.

"Who the hell's comin' to see me?"

"Well, you better get out there and find out." Merle thought for a moment. He hadn't seen Daryl in over a month. He'd brought a new picture of the kids. Merle had considered asking him not to bring anymore, as it was painful seeing the kids growing up and not being in their lives. But, they were still his flesh and blood, and though he knew he'd never be thought of as anything like a father, he still loved them and wanted what was best for them.

Merle followed the guard out of his cell and down to the end of the cell block. They passed through two gates before they got to the visitation room, and the moment he stepped in front of the glass window, his heart jumped into his throat.

The door slid behind him, and the guard leaned back against the concrete wall with a newspaper in his hands.

Merle's hand shook as he slowly sat down and picked up the phone. Mary Dixon took a trembling breath and picked up the other receiver.

"What happened? Is it Daryl? The kids?"

"They're fine," Mary promised.

"You ain't come to see me. Somethin's wrong. You sure they ain't…"

"They're fine. The kids are healthy. Happy. Daryl's happy." She sniffled. "You look good. Are they treating you alright?"

"It's prison, Ma." He saw the pain in her eyes, and he cleared his throat. "Three square a day. Ain't nothin' like your home cookin', but it's better'n nothin'." He saw her shoulders slump, and he continued. "I'm doin' ok. Could be worse. I could be dead."

"Merle Dixon," she choked out. "Don't even say that."

"Ain't it true? Hell, my life's over, Ma. Guys like me are just gonna sit here and rot 'til they throw us in the ground and bury us." Mary looked away. "Ma. Why are you here?"

"You're my son, aren't you?" she asked. "I haven't come before, because it's too painful. Merle, you've made a mess of not just your life but everyone's around you." Merle didn't look away. Instead, he waited for her to look at him again, and he nodded.

"I know, Ma."

"Do you know what you brother's gone through raising those beautiful babies?" She shook her head. "He's a good father. He's a good man. I'm proud to see how he is with them and how much they love him. I'm not saying this to hurt you. I'm saying this, because I feel sorry for you. I wish you'd turned yourself around. I wish you had made better choices, because that could be you raising those kids. If you'd given that life a chance, I think you could have done something good with your life."

"Sorry I let you down, Ma."

"I know," she sniffled. "But you're still my son, and I love you, and I hate seeing you in here. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't worry about what's happening to you. I hate the thought of someone hurting you." She wiped at her eyes.

"You…you're ok, ain't you, ma?"

"I'm ok. I just wanted you to know that I haven't forgotten you. I still love you." She sniffled then. "I just wanted you to know that even if I don't see you often, I'm still your mother, and as much as you've hurt your family, things happened the way they did for a reason, and I'm thankful that my grandchildren have a chance to have a happy home. Your brother's met someone. Has he told you about her?"

"Not much," Merle admitted. "Last time he was here, he said she was goin' through a lot. Had a house fire?"

"Yeah. She's going through a lot. But she's brought something to Daryl's life that I wasn't sure he'd ever have. He's happy. He loves her. She's been good for him."

"M'glad," Merle murmured. "Ma, I'm sorry I disappointed you. Never wanted none of this to happen."

"I know," Mary murmured, white-knuckling the phone.

"Come visit again," Merle urged.

"It took a lot to come here," she offered. "I can't promise it'll be soon. I promise I'll try." Merle nodded, knowing that was the best he could hope for, and then she hung up, stood and left the room, not looking back. He knew she was crying; that it had taken everything in her just to sit there across from him and look into his eyes. But for the first time in a long time, Merle felt a sense of peace, a bit of closure he'd never thought he'd get. He knew he'd fucked up most everything in his life, but the one person who had always believed in him, the one person who had always rooted for him was the one person he'd let down in the most horrible way. He was glad she'd come, but he didn't expect he'd ever see her again.

...

"No," Carol insisted, crossing her arms as she leaned against the doorway. "We're not doing this."

"I ain't askin'," Daryl bit out. "I don't give a shit about this house or that job. All I care about is that you're safe, and since the goddamned cops can't seem to get their shit together and find that son of a bitch, I ain't waitin' around for the next fuckin' shoe to drop!" It was the first time he'd raised his voice to her, and while she didn't flinch, she took a step toward him and shut the bedroom door to keep Charlie and Jack from hearing.

"No," she said evenly. "I'm not talking about this again." The last two months had been a whirlwind of insurance claims, meetings, telephone calls and the crazy, hectic life of working their schedules so that someone was always with the children, whether that was Daryl, Carol or Mary.

Carol had stayed between Daryl's place and Michonne's for the first week after the fire, but eventually she agreed to come stay with Daryl. It worked out, honestly. Living with him was nothing like living with Ed. He didn't treat her like an expectation. If she was working late, he cooked supper. If he was working late, she did. And in the last week, Daryl had broached the subject of moving out of Georgia all together about three times. Each time, Carol waved him off and told him that she wasn't going to let Ed scare her off.

"We gotta talk about it." His voice was softer now, and Carol crossed the room and sat down on their bed.

"There's nothing to talk about. Your mother is here. Your job is here. My job is here. This is our home." She waved her arm, indicating the home they currently occupied.

"It's four walls and a roof. It ain't _ours_. We can have this. We can have better'n this somewhere else." Carol thought for a moment, and when Daryl sat down next to her, her shoulders slumped.

"Maybe you should take the kids and leave without me."

"Don't talk like that."

"I _have_ to talk like that."

"I ain't goin' nowhere without you."

"Why are you so stubborn?" she asked, crossing her arms across her chest.

"You wanna talk stubborn?" he snorted. Carol rolled her eyes. "Look, I can get a new job somewhere else. We can pick up and put down roots someplace else. Hell, my ma used to always talk about wantin' me to get away from this place."

"You really think she'd be ok with you taking her grandbabies away? She spends almost as much time with them as we do. It'd break her heart, Daryl." Carol ran her fingers through her hair.

They hadn't heard much of anything in the last couple of days, and the last they knew, Ed's house had been cleared out. There were whisperings of him staying in some seedy motel under a fake name. Rick had even checked the place out while off duty to see what he could see, but nothing had come of it. There had been nothing from Ed since the fire. It was as if he'd completely dropped off the map, but neither Daryl nor Carol believed that he had finished rearing his ugly head.

They'd been round and round with this conversation, and they were back to it, and once again, they were at a standstill.

"You lost a lot in that fire," Daryl murmured, taking her hand in his. "And I ain't gonna run from a fight, but I sure as hell don't want to raise my kids where I'm afraid to even let 'em play outside." Carol flinched then, and she got up from where she sat on the bed. "Wait."

"I told you before. You should have listened."

"Carol, I didn't mean…"

"No, I know," she sniffled. "But it would be better for you and for the kids if I wasn't in your lives. And my being here just puts you all in danger."

"You're twistin' my words."

"No, I'm not. I'm not twisting your words, because these are _my_ words. It's true. And I think maybe you should take the kids and go someplace until this dies down." She sniffled. "I can pay for you to stay someplace and…"

"Stop," Daryl insisted, standing and going to her. "You ain't doin' that. We're in this together." She tried to pull away, but he put his hands around her waist, tugging her closer. He gently touched her cheek and made her look at him. She shook her head.

"It's such a mess." The insurance money had come through a week ago. It was in the bank and going nowhere, and Carol had been trying to decide what to do with it. She'd gotten a check to replace many of her possessions lost in the fire, and then she'd gotten a separate one for the loss of the property.

"We'll figure it out," he promised. Just then, the doorbell rang, and Carol glanced at Daryl. They weren't expecting anyone, and Daryl instinctively moved to the door first. Carol watched him peek out the window in the hall, and then he relaxed. "It's my mom." Carol took a shaky breath, and they both hurried to let Mary in. Mary greeted them both with a hug, and Daryl was the first to notice the grim look on her face. She normally had a smile for them, even on bad days, but he hadn't seen this look in his mother's eyes since the day Merle got sentenced. "Ma, you ok?"

"I went to see your brother," she murmured.

"You went all the way up there?"

"There were a few things I needed to say to him," she said softly. "And a few things I need to say to you both." Carol and Daryl glanced at one another, before Mary sat down on the couch.

"Ma, you ok?" Daryl asked quietly.

"What's going on?" Carol wondered.

"Daryl, you know I still have a little of what your grandparents left me saved up."

"Yeah," Daryl said slowly.

"I think it's time I use that to do something for my family," she offered.

"Ma, you been helpin' more than most family would," Daryl insisted.

"I've seen the toll this has taken on you both, and it's not fair." She looked to Carol. "Honey, you don't deserve all of this. And I know my son and grandchildren don't. And I don't blame you at all, so don't even think that. But I know you're both stressed and worried and scared about what's going to happen, and I want to do what I can to help."

"You've done so much, Mary," Carol insisted, reaching out and taking Mary's hand.

"My family is more important to me than anything, and _you_ are just as much a part of this family as my own flesh and blood." She turned to look at Daryl. "My Cousin Anna in Louisville invited me to come visit for a while, and I want to take Charlie and Jack along."

"Ma…"

"I need to get away for a while, and I know the two of you could use some time together to sort through this, and to hopefully find an end to the nightmare that lunatic is putting you through. I'm going to take Charlie and Jack with me, and I'll use my savings to cover food and gas, and I'm going to help Anna with her bills in exchange for staying with her for a few weeks."

"A few weeks? Ma…"

"I won't take no for an answer. I know you love them, and I know you want to be there, but between work and dealing with all of this, the both of you are worn out." Carol glanced at Daryl. Mary had a point. And now their weariness and stress was causing them to get into repetitive arguments that just went around and around. "Children pick up on things like that. Even little ones like Charlie and Jack. You need a break. Both of you. You deserve it." She gave her son a smile.

"I don't know what to say," Daryl murmured.

"Well, you might as well say yes, because it's what's going to happen." She grinned. "Besides, I want to tell my grandchildren someday that my taking them for a few weeks helped their parents work through the worst of it and come out stronger in the end." Carol's eyes welled with tears at the sound of Mary calling her a parent to those precious babies. She felt Daryl take her hand and give it a squeeze, and she squeezed his right back. "So, what do you say?"

Carol and Daryl looked at one another and then back to Mary, knowing this was the best thing for everyone. They would be able to rest easier knowing the children were safe, and maybe they could focus more on getting Ed found and locked up before he did anymore damage.

"Alright," Daryl murmured. "Yes."


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Carol cracked one eye open, stretching as the silhouette of Daryl sharpened into focus as he sat on the edge of the bed staring down at her.

"Mornin'," he murmured, leaning down to kiss her. She smiled against his lips, moving her hand to the back of his neck, gently tugging at his hair there before he raised back up.

"It's quiet," she whispered, sitting up and blinking in the dim morning light. "I don't like it."

"Hey, we got the rest of our lives for noise," he smirked. "My mom just called. They're heading out now."

"It feels weird not having them here," Carol sighed, as she swung her legs over the bed and tugged her nightshirt down from where it had lifted up over her stomach in the night.

"Well, I'm gonna keep you busy today, so you ain't gotta worry 'bout not stayin' busy." Carol smiled then, and she giggled when he pulled her into his lap. "I got breakfast ready."

"You're so sweet," she sighed. "Thank you." She kissed him again. "Any word from Andrea?"

"No. And we ain't thinkin' about that right now. Today's about us. We're just gonna enjoy it, right?" Carol sighed and nodded. "Hey. We ain't gonna let him ruin our day."

"No, we're not," she agreed. Daryl kissed her again. He patted her butt, and she scooted off of his lap. When he stood, he scooped her up in his arms, and she yelped when he slung her over his shoulder and gave her behind another little smack. "Daryl!"

"C"mon. Breakfast is gettin' cold."

...

 _Click._

Carol glanced up from the sink with her toothbrush poking out of the corner of her mouth. Daryl stood in the doorway of the bathroom with Carol's camera in his hand.

"Id ooh jush ake my…"

"What?" Daryl asked with a laugh. Carol spat into the sink and wiped her mouth.

"Did you just take my picture?"

"Yeah."

"Daryl," she groaned.

"I got a couple more while you were sleeping. I think there was a little drool." He waggled his eyebrows at her, and she threw her towel at him.

"You ass."

"Hey, we're gonna want to remember this day."

"Why?" Carol asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"It's our day. Just you and me, worry free." When she approached him, he snuck a kiss. "You hungry?"

"We just ate breakfast," she laughed.

"Then we burned off some of the calories in the shower," he pointed out. Carol rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help but feel her heartbeat quicken at the sight of him bare-chested with his damp hair sticking to his neck. "You gonna get dressed?"

"Why are you rushing me?" she asked with a laugh, smacking his behind as she walked past him and into the bedroom.

"Wear your boots and jeans."

"What?"

"We're takin' the bike."

"It's a little chilly."

"I'll keep ya warm," he promised. Carol smirked then, and she shrugged, grabbing her favorite jeans, a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of black boots.

"So? Where are we going?"

"You'll see," was all he said, before he grabbed for his own clothes and began dressing in silence. Carol narrowed her eyes at him, but all he did was smirk. With a sigh, she shook her head and decided to trust in whatever plan he had for them today.

...

Her arms were snug around his waist as they took a wide curve down the old country road. Carol snuggled a little closer to him, closing her eyes as the late afternoon sun glittered through the pine trees, bathing the road in a glowing, golden shadows.

He hadn't said where he was taking her, but the longer they drove, the more familiar the place looked, and when he took that last turn and that clearing came into view, Carol held her breath and felt tears welling in her eyes.

He cut the engine, and they both got off, removing their helmets and breathing in the fresh air as the sunlight glinted off the water. The small boat was still tethered to the dock, but something was different.

"Did you…did you clean this place up?" she asked, as Daryl took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. He shrugged, and she chuckled. "When did you even have the time?"

"I got my ways," he promised. Carol looked around. The trash had all been picked up, fresh trash bins were placed where the old, rusted, overflowing ones had once sat. There were a few benches by the waterside, and the dock and boat had been completely repaired and restored to a former glory. "Didn't take much. Turns out, a guy who sits on the city council for this county comes to the shop pretty regularly. Mentioned this place to him, and he said the place was on the list for repairs, but it wasn't priority, 'cause it's just out in the middle of nowhere. Guess he liked my work on his car, 'cause he called me up a few days later, said they were gonna start bringing in playground equipment and maybe even those little machines you pop a quarter in and get a handful of pellets to feed the ducks with."

"All of that from a good tune up?" Carol chuckled. "I'm impressed." She smiled, when Daryl pulled his arm around her waist.

"Nah, it ain't all that. Guess they're gonna be makin' a county park out here with trails and fishin' areas, so I guess it makes sense to build this place up again. Won't be quiet like this for long."

"It's beautiful," Carol murmured, pressing a soft kiss to Daryl's lips. He brought his hand up to gently graze her cheek, and when he pulled back, she chased his lips for one more kiss. "Thank you for bringing me back here."

"Wanted to," he murmured. "Wanted ya to know." He cleared his throat. "The day we came here, I knew I was gonna spend the rest of my life with ya. This place? It's gonna be beautiful again. Doesn't matter what it used to be or what happened to it. It's still here, and it's gonna be better than before." Carol smiled then, wiping at her eyes.

"Ok, now that was pretty romantic," she chuckled, as Daryl pressed a kiss to her forehead. He pulled her in close as the chilly breeze picked up.

"We're gonna get through this. This thing with Ed ain't gonna break us."

"No," she agreed. "It won't." He reached into his pocket and pulled something out. He held his hand out to her, uncurling his fingers to reveal a small silver band with the diamonds and the intricate vine details. Carol's eyes widened.

"Remember this?"

"Is this what we found out here?" she asked softly.

"Yeah," he murmured. "Took it home and cleaned it that night."

"It's gorgeous," she breathed, gently picking it up.

"It was inscribed," he murmured, nodding toward the ring. Carol gently turned the ring, squinting to read the print inside.

"Love you 'til my last breath. – D. May 6, 1960." She put her hand to her chest. "Daryl…"

"Like it was waitin' right there for us to find," he chuckled. Carol sniffled then and went to hand the ring back to him. "It's true, y'know?"

"Daryl…"

"Look, I know what you been through. I know what we're both goin' through right now. It ain't always gonna be easy, but I ain't goin' nowhere." He took her hand, closing the ring into her palm. "I want ya wearin' that the day you become my wife." Carol gasped softly, and Daryl leaned in, pressing his lips against hers. When he broke the kiss, he rested his forehead against hers, and she sniffled.

"Are you asking me to marry you?"

"Depends on if you're gonna say yes," he chuckled. "If you ain't gonna say yes, then…" Carol quieted him with a kiss, bringing her arms around his neck. She stood on her tiptoes to bring them closer, and when she pulled back, it was only for a moment to say one soft word.

"Yes."

"Yeah?" She was kissing him again, and his hands were in her hair, and she was trembling. He pulled her closer, and then he could taste the salt of her tears as they rolled down her cheeks, slipping over her lips and down her chin.

"This feels right," she murmured, staring down at her hand before looking back up into his eyes. "I never felt this before. I never felt like…" She sniffled and shook her head.

"When this is all over, it's gonna be us. Our family. We both been through a lot before we even met. We got through that. We're gonna get through this together." Carol trembled when Daryl kissed her forehead again, and she closed her eyes, snuggling into him as he held her just a little closer.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Carol sighed happily, leaning back against the pillow and stretching out and grabbing for her phone. She quickly called Michonne, and sat up in bed, pulling the sheet up around her bare chest. She chewed her bottom lip in anticipation as the sound of glasses clinking in the kitchen tinkered down the hall.

"Hey," Michonne answered. "Everything ok?"

"Yeah, everything's ok. Mary took the kids last night and left with them this morning."

"No problems?"

"So far, it's been quiet."

"You sound good," Michonne pointed out.

"I guess knowing the kids are safe with Mary has me a little more at ease. How's my baby?"

"Lucky's eating me out of house and home," Michonne snorted. "He even stole some food off of Rick's dinner plate."

"I'm sorry," Carol groaned.

"He's actually adorable, and you can't get too mad at him when he looks at you with those eyes. He's so big now. Are you sure that's the same puppy?"

"I know, he went through two growth spurts last month," Carol chuckled.

"You sound happy," Michonne murmured. "You didn't just call me after sex did you?"

"Well…"

"Okay, don't answer that," Michonne groaned.

"Well, that's not _why_ I'm happy," Carol laughed. "I wanted to tell you before anybody else. Daryl and I are engaged."

"Holy shit, what?"

"He took me to this little place we went to when we first started seeing each other. We found this ring buried in the dirt. He took it home and cleaned it up, and he kept it all this time."

"Oh my God," Michonne sighed. "That's so romantic."

"It's beautiful," she hummed, holding her hand up and admiring the way it sparkled. "I guess he even tried to find the owners, but it was from so long ago, he didn't have any luck."

"That's kind of sad," Michonne murmured. "But it's beautiful that you found it and that it's got a purpose again. God, I'm so happy for you, honey."

"I'm happy," Carol sighed. "I just wish this Ed business was over and done with. I just want to focus on the future."

"Give it time."

"He's had enough," Carol insisted.

"Hey, don't think about that right now." Carol sighed and got up, walking to the window with one hand on the sheet to keep herself covered. She peered out the window just in time to see a police cruiser take the fourth drive through the neighborhood that night. While Carol knew Ed was out there watching, waiting for the time to strike, she felt better knowing that at least the police department had taken extra measures for her sake, especially after the house fire and Ed's disappearance.

"It's hard to think about anything else."

"Well, let's think about china patterns." Carol snorted at that. "Ok, how about paint samples for the new house."

"Whoa, we're getting ahead of ourselves, aren't we?"

"Are we? I mean, the four of you aren't going to stay at Daryl's place, are you? It's a little small for a growing family." Carol smiled at that, and she flopped back down on the bed.

"We've just gotten engaged. Maybe we can start planning the rest of our lives tomorrow."

"Hey, it's never too early," Michonne insisted. Carol could hear Daryl heading back down the hallway, and she smiled.

"Hey, I gotta go. Talk to you later." She ended the call and put her phone aside just as Daryl stepped in with two glasses in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other.

"Sorry it ain't champagne," he murmured, leaning down to kiss her. "Who were ya talkin' to?"

"Michonne. I had to tell her the news before anyone else."

"Yeah? What'd she say?"

"She's already making plans for our future."

"Huh?"

"Nothing," Carol chuckled. "She's excited."

"Good," Daryl murmured. "And how are you feelin'?"

"I'm good," she whispered, kissing him softly before moving over to make room for him in the bed. Daryl handed her a glass and quickly poured some wine into it. Carol gently swished it in her glass before taking a sip. She smiled then and licked her lips. "How are you?"

"Me?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah, you. You ok? No regrets?"

"Ain't never gonna regret a damn thing when it comes to you."

"Even the arguments?"

"Nope," he murmured, kissing her again. "The makin' up is the best part. 'Sides, we don't argue that much."

"We didn't. Lately?"

"Hey, that don't matter," Daryl promised. "And it ain't 'cause we don't love each other. Ya been under a lot of stress, and…"

"And so have you," Carol said quietly, taking his hand. "You've been through a lot and…"

"And if ya blame yourself one more time, we're gonna have another argument," he chuckled, getting a little smile out of her. "I love you. That's what matters." He poured some wine for himself and had a drink before putting the bottle and glass aside. Carol smiled when he kissed her shoulder, and she took another sip, putting her own glass aside.

"I love you," she murmured as he kissed her neck. She let him lay her back against the mattress, and she ran her hands over his back as he crawled over her.

"You gonna give me babies?" he asked, knocking a chuckle out of her.

"Don't we already have our hands full as it is?"

"Nope," he murmured, kissing her stomach. Carol giggled when the stubble on his chin tickled her stomach.

"You really want more?" she asked, running her fingers through his hair as he looked up at her.

"Never thought I'd make a good dad. Had a lot to learn, but I got through it. Then you came along, and you made us feel like a family. I want more of that. I want a little girl with your eyes." He moved back up, kissing her nose. "You got a pretty cute nose, too."

"Okay, Romeo," Carol snorted, gently pushing on his chest before wrapping her arms around his neck and arching up to kiss him. She sighed against his lips and fell back against the mattress.

"You don't want more?" he asked. "That's ok, too."

"I haven't thought about it for a long time," she admitted. She smiled. "I always wanted two. A boy and a girl. But then you came along with the kids, and we sort of fell into this little family routine, and it was enough." She smiled. "But I'm not against bringing another one into the mix."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," she grinned. "But only _after_ we're married. Let's maybe get Jack potty trained first," she chuckled. "We've got a lot on our hands right now." She smiled then, kissing his nose, and Daryl propped himself up on one arm while his free hand began to wander down the curve of her hips.

"We'll just see what comes along, huh? Or who," Daryl offered. She smiled, biting her lip and tracing the pad of her finger over the line of his jaw. Carol sighed, closing her eyes as he pressed kisses down the length of her throat, and she cleared her mind, letting herself feel only the touch of his hands, the warmth of his mouth. She focused on him entirely, letting everything else fade into the back of her mind as she sunk into the warmth of his embrace.

...

 _You came into my life after everything had fallen apart. I never meant to fall in love so easily, but I'm so thankful that I did. You brought a beautiful chaos into my life that was more comfort than I ever had or ever knew that I needed. I was happy alone, but you gave me a second chance at loving; at being loved. You took my pain away. You gave me a family. You are my family. And as we stand here, I can't say we're starting the first day of the rest of our lives. We did that a long time ago on the day you stepped foot into my studio with a torn shirt and maybe a couple of hours of sleep behind you. Before I met you, I found my strength. But you helped me realize I was much stronger than I thought I was. I love you, Daryl._

"What're you writin'?" Carol gasped when she felt his warm breath against the back of her neck. She slammed her laptop shut and turned at the desk.

"You jerk! Were you snooping?"

"I swear I wasn't. Didn't see a thing," Daryl offered, holding up three fingers. "Scout's honor."

"Were you a scout?"

"Not a very good one," he snorted. Carol grinned. "Good mornin', by the way."

"Good morning," she chuckled. "I was writing my vows."

"Kinda early for that, ain't it?"

"When inspiration strikes, take it. That's why I always take my camera with me. You never know when the perfect moment is going to be right in front of you." She stood, turning to him and smiling when his hands came to her hips.

"I love you," he murmured, kissing her softly.

"Love you, too," she replied with a grin. "So, can we go get my baby today? I don't want him to think I've forgotten him."

"Yeah, we'll go grab a bite to eat, and we'll pick up Lucky. But I think Rick's already fallen in love with him."

"What?"

"Yeah, Rick posted this on his profile." He showed Carol his phone, and she laughed when she saw a picture of Rick and Michonne with Lucky in the middle.

"God, they've adopted him, haven't they?" she laughed.

"Might have to fight Rick for him. I mean, they look like a family."

"Well, Lucky knows who his mama is. Besides, I have my secret weapon." She patted the box of dog treats sitting next to her computer. "He'll be putty in my hands." Michonne had been kind enough to take Lucky for a few days to give them some time together, but Michonne and Rick were both about to take a couple of days away, and Carol was more than ready to have Lucky back.

"Oh, hey," Daryl remembered. "Mom sent this." He showed her a picture of Mary with Jack and Charlie.

"Where are they?"

"Looks like an orchard."

"Oh," Carol murmured. "Look at Jack. Is it just me or has he grown since we saw him last?"

"That was two days ago," Daryl reminded her.

"Still," she pouted. "I miss them, Daryl."

"I know," Daryl murmured. "But we'll see 'em soon, right?" She nodded, and he kissed her. "C'mon, let's get outta here. Damn place is too quiet." Carol smiled, grateful that he understood when she needed to get out. Being cooped up only served to remind her that half of their family was currently in another state because of the monster risen from the ashes of her failed marriage.

He took her hand, and they headed out into the kitchen together. Carol went to the sink, grabbing the wine glasses they'd used the night before. She began to wash them, as Daryl grabbed a couple bottles of water out of the fridge. He turned, leaning against the counter as he watched her work, moving from side to side to wash and then rinse and then dry. And when he moved for the last glass, something caught his eye from the window over the sink.

His heart sunk. His breath caught in his throat. And before he had the chance to speak, he was running. Carol turned then, crying out when Daryl's arms pulled around her, turning her away from the window, shielding her from the splintering glass. He began to fall then, and her legs twisted beneath her as they fell together.

"Daryl!" she cried out, as he groaned in pain, the weight of him pinning her to the linoleum floor. "Daryl. Oh God. Daryl!" She pushed at his shoulders, rolling him to his back. "What…oh God. What happened?" She saw it then, the dark red blood pouring from the side of his head. His eyes were glassy, and his lips were open in a gasp as his chest heaved. "Oh no. No! Daryl!"

"Ed," he bit out. "It's Ed. Call 911." Carol gasped then, hands shaking as she reached for the phone on the wall. Daryl's hand came up to his head, and he brought it back painted with blood. He was dizzy then, and he pulled himself up to sit, glancing over at the wall behind the sink where the bullet had lodged. Christ, he'd been lucky, but that was gonna leave a scar.

"Daryl!" she cried out, as he pulled himself up, hands leaving bloody prints on the countertop. He fumbled for the drawer, grabbing the closest thing he could find, a paring knife, and he started out the door. "Daryl, stop!" The voice on the other line began to talk, and she could barely hear as she stood and watched Daryl run out into the backyard, shirt staining red with his blood. So much blood.

 _"Ma'am? What's your emergency?"_ She could barely think much less speak, but she managed to rattle off the address, and when she heard another shot from outside, she screamed into the phone. A loud bang from the front of the house had her pulling her knees up to her chest, sliding back through Daryl's blood, bracing herself against the bottom cupboards.

She heard footsteps thundering down the hall, and she heard someone cry out, someone crash into something, another cry of pain, another gunshot. And then she saw his face, those eyes, expressionless, face pale and gaunt, a ghost of a man. And then he was falling. She screamed as he fell forward onto his face, blood pouring out from somewhere beneath him. And then she looked up to see Daryl leaning against the door frame, eyelids fluttering as he fought to stay conscious. The gun dropped from his hands, and he fell to his knees, clutching his side as blood trickled from between his fingers.

"Daryl!" she cried out, scrambling up, hands slipping against blood and linoleum until she was able to claw herself up to stand. "Daryl!" She rushed to him as he slumped over, and she lay his head in her lap, gently stroking his hair. "They're coming. You're ok. You're ok." She didn't once look at the lifeless body beside them, the way his arm bent before him, stretched out toward where she'd been sitting.

"It's ok now," he murmured, fighting to keep his eyes open. "It's ok." He went limp in her arms, and her shoulders shook before she let out a pained sob. She could feel him breathing, feel his heart beat as she pressed her hand to his chest. And as the sound of sirens pierced the air, she leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes, letting it all out as she clung to him. The last thing she remembered before she blacked out were the yells of police officers entering the house, loudly announcing their presence. And as the first officer stepped into the kitchen, she fell into darkness, a chill filling her at the realization that while the nightmare was over, Ed might just have managed to take one last thing from her. She heard a scream fall from her lips, and then she saw his face, smiling as she walked toward him, sunset lighting the white-carpet aisle as red and yellow leaves swirled from the trees and ushered her toward the man she loved.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

She squinted into the harsh light of the fluorescent bulbs above her bed. The pounding in her head made the intense brightness hurt that much worse. She winced, turning onto her side to look away from the brightness, and while everything still looked a little blurry, she did make out a familiar face peering anxiously at her.

"Daryl?" she asked softly, blinking a few times as if she truly didn't believe what she was seeing right in front of her.

"Hey," he murmured, reaching over and taking her hand in his. She winced in pain again, bringing her free hand to her forehead, and Daryl reached over, dimming the lights over her bed. "That better?"

"Yeah." She noticed a bandage wrapped around his head, and he was wearing clean clothes from home. "How long have I been….?"

"Just a few hours," he promised. "They gave ya somethin' to help ya sleep. You ain't hurt. They just wanted to keep a close eye on ya 'til ya woke up." He nodded toward the hall. "We're still in the ER."

"You…you're ok?" She sat up a little and the room seemed to spin around her.

"Bullet grazed me," he murmured, pointing to the side of his head.

"I heard the gun again."

"Yea. Ed tried. Then he got the damned knife outta my hand and stuck me with it. Hurt like a son of a bitch, but it wasn't too deep. I guess I bled enough to pass out. Shit, I don't even remember that. Just remember pullin' the trigger, and he fell."

"Ed. He's…"

"He ain't a problem anymore," Daryl murmured, looking away. Carol squeezed his hand.

"I'm sorry you had to do that."

"I ain't. I'd do it again in a second if it meant keepin' you safe."

"Daryl…"

"Just glad it's over." He glanced back at her, and he took a shaky breath. "I ain't never had to do somethin' like that. Keep seein' it, feelin' the kickback when I pulled the trigger. One second he had that knife in my belly, the next he was comin' for you. Knife was still drippin' with my blood. So I grabbed the gun, and I just…I just pulled the trigger." Carol squeezed his hand. "Kept thinkin' what if I hadn't seen him in the window? You'd be…"

"I'm right here. I'm fine," she promised. "We're both ok, thank God." She let out a slow breath and swung her legs over the side of the bed so she could turn to face him. "That wasn't the man I married." She sniffled then. "He was selfish and mean in some ways, but something inside of him snapped. The man I married all those years ago wouldn't have done this. It just goes to show that people change. I guess my leaving affected Ed differently than it did me."

"You think this is 'cause you left? Hell, he didn't just wake up one day and decide to be a psycho. It was probably there all that time, just beneath the surface."

"And I married him. I didn't see it. What's that say about me?"

"Stop," Daryl urged. "Don't put this on you."

"He almost killed you, Daryl."

"But I'm still here." He stood then, and he brought his hands to Carol's shoulders. "I ain't goin' nowhere. You're stuck with me." Carol smiled then, leaning forward to bury her face against his chest. She inhaled deeply and sighed softly, pulling her arms gently around his neck.

Someone tapped on the door, and they both turned to see a young woman step in with a stethoscope around her neck.

"You're awake," she said brightly. "You feeling ok?"

"I just have a headache."

"I can give you something for that," she offered.

"No, it's ok. I don't want to be groggy or anything. I'll just have some aspirin, and I'll be ok."

"Alright," the woman replied with a nod. "And Mr. Dixon? You should really be resting. You lost a lot of blood today."

"I'm just fine right here," Daryl insisted. "Ain't lettin' her outta my sight."

"You should rest," Carol agreed.

"I can rest right here," Daryl argued, sitting down in the chair next to Carol's bed. "I ain't leavin' 'til you do."

"Well, at least drink this then," the nurse insisted, handing him a packet of cookies and a small bottle of juice. "And stay off your feet for now." She checked Carol's chart. "Do you have anyone to take the both of you home when you're discharged?"

"I can call Michonne," Carol suggested.

"Daryl already did." Carol looked up to see Michonne come rushing into the room, brushing past the nurse. She hurried over and wrapped her arms around Carol. "God, are you ok?"

"I'm ok," Carol promised. The nurse stepped out, and Carol leaned back against her pillow. "Daryl's the one I'm worried about." Michonne gently touched the side of Daryl's head where the bandage was.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Ed happened," Carol muttered. "He tried to kill me, and Daryl got between us. Another inch to the left and…" She shivered, unable to finish that sentence.

"God," Michonne murmured. She turned to Daryl. "You ok?"

"Yeah," he murmured. He cleared his throat and took a drink of juice. "It's over, you know?"

"It's over," Michonne agreed, turning back to Carol. "What do you guys need?"

"Just time," Carol assured her with a little half-smile. She peeked around Michonne to see Daryl lay his head back and close his eyes. "We're gonna be ok."

...

"You should rest." Daryl grunted, slouching down on the bed in Mary Dixon's guest room. The police were still finishing up with their investigation into the day's events, and then a cleaning crew was coming in to wipe up every trace of blood. Carol couldn't stand to even think about walking back into that kitchen for a good long while, so she was grateful that Daryl had a spare key to his mother's home in his wallet.

"I'm fine," Carol promised, gently pulling at the tape covering the bandage on Daryl's stomach. She winced when she saw the stitched gash from the knife, and Daryl glanced down at it.

"I can do this."

"Maybe so," Carol replied quietly, "but I'm going to, because you're the one that got stabbed and shot, and all I did was black out. I'm ok to do this, and I'm going to take care of you. Do you have a problem with that?" Daryl thought for a moment, opened his mouth but then closed it. "Good." Carol gently applied the ointment they'd given Daryl in the ER, and she winced when he winced, hating that she was causing him any kind of discomfort. "You want a painkiller?"

"No. I ain't takin' them." He groaned in pain, and Carol stopped touching him. "Don't need that shit." Carol sighed softly and nodded. She knew Daryl had watched Merle go on a downward spiral when it came to drugs and trouble. She knew he would never follow that same path, but she respected that he wanted to heal on his own terms, even if that meant suffering the pain through most of it.

When he settled down, she began applying the rest of the ointment, and then she put a fresh bandage over the wound. Next, she unwrapped the bandage from over his head, and she frowned at the sight of his stitches.

"That bad?" he asked.

"No," she offered, "but it's bad enough." She gently swept the hair away from the wound, and Daryl brought his hand up, curling his fingers around her wrist.

"C'mere," he murmured. She leaned in, kissing him softly, and he brought his other hand to caress her cheek. "Love you."

"Love you, too," she whispered, pulling back and smiling when he chased her lips for another kiss. When she stood and straightened, she got to work putting some fresh ointment over the stitches on his head. When she was finished, she tidied up the bedroom and then slipped into bed with him.

"You ain't gotta stay in here with me," Daryl murmured, turning on the TV and flipping the station onto some dumb sitcom that he never really cared for but watched when nothing else was on.

"I know that," she replied sleepily, linking her fingers with his. "You're kind of stuck with me." Daryl snorted at that and kissed the top of her head.

"Good," he murmured, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. Carol curled up beside him, gently resting her hand on his chest. She kissed his shoulder and closed her eyes.

...

"How are the kids?"

"They're great," Mary promised. "I'm more worried about you and about my son right now. What happened, honey?" Carol peeked into the bedroom where Daryl was sound asleep, and she quietly closed the door before heading into Mary's living room with her cell phone pressed to her ear.

"He's ok," she said softly. "He saved my life today." She took a shaking breath. "My ex-husband decided to come after me, and if it hadn't been for Daryl, I'd be dead right now."

"Oh God," Mary choked out. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. I wasn't hurt at all, though I'm stiff and achy all over. I think it's from falling. Daryl fell into me." She closed her eyes, remembering it, remembering the smell of copper as his blood soaked her hands. "He's got some stitches, and he's going to be sore for a few days, but he's going to be ok."

"I'm coming home. Tonight. I need to see for myself. Oh, I can't imagine how awful this was for the both of you."

"Mary, I promise you he's fine, but I don't want Charlie seeing him like this. Please, stay a few days longer. I just want Daryl to rest. He's got the week off work, and I'm not taking any new customers. I'm staying with him, and we're at your place."

"Is there enough food in the fridge? Honey, there's a grocery store two blocks down, and…"

"We're fine, Mary. I promise you. Just stay a while longer. Enjoy your time away, and enjoy your grandbabies. We miss them like crazy, but Daryl needs to rest. He needs to heal. I won't let him over do it."

"Thank you for taking such good care of him," Mary murmured.

"He takes good care of me, too," Carol smiled.

"I should imagine. So, have you two set a date yet?"

"What?" Carol choked out.

"Honey, I know he asked you to marry him, and I know you said yes. Who do you think he talked to before he actually popped the question?"

"You…you knew he was going to ask?"

"Of course I did," Mary chuckled. "He was so worried you'd say it was too soon or that you didn't want to get married again. But I told him that I'd spent enough time with the both of you together that it was pretty obvious that there was only one answer to that question. Did he get down on one knee? I told him to, but he thought it was a little overdone."

"He didn't," Carol chuckled. "But it was still romantic." She sniffled and glanced over her shoulder. The bedroom door was still shut. "But right now, I think the wedding's the farthest thing from our minds. I'm not sure how we get through this."

"Together," Mary insisted. "You got through this day together. You'll heal from it together. It's the only thing you can do."

"Yeah," Carol whispered. "I know. You're right. You are." She sighed heavily. "Give Charlie and Jack kisses from us?"

"I will. Tell my son he'd better call me first thing tomorrow."

"I promise," Carol chuckled. "Good night, Mary."

"Good night, honey." Carol ended the call and stared down at her phone for a moment, before she slipped into the living room. She sat down on the couch, looking around at all of the photos on the walls surrounding her. Pictures of the Dixon family, pictures of Merle and Daryl at various ages through the years. Pictures of Charlie and Jack. And one Carol hadn't seen before. She got up, crossing the room to find a small photo frame hanging in the center of a group of other pictures. It was a photo from the night she'd met Mary. It was one of her and Daryl holding the kids, looking happy and in love, and it struck her that she hadn't even known that photo existed. Her hand was over her heart now, and she felt tears welling in her eyes. Her throat tightened, and she took a shaking breath.

How could they get back to that moment? How did they move on from this one? How was it that even though Ed was dead, he was now forever a part of their relationship, an ugly mark in the early days of their relationship, a menacing storm that came to a head and ultimately left two people scarred?

She shook her head, moving away from the wall, heading back into the bedroom, where Daryl had rolled onto his side. He was dripping with sweat, and Carol hurried over to put her hand on his forehead. He wasn't feverish, but he was moaning softly, maybe dreaming. She wanted to let him sleep, but she wanted to wake him from whatever nightmare he was fighting through.

"Hey," she whispered, gently shaking his shoulder. "It's ok. It's ok. I'm here." He groaned in his sleep, and his breathing slowed, and soon, he was calm and still again. She knew he'd been reliving it. She was going to relive it for a long time to come. This wouldn't be the thing that broke them. It couldn't be.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

A bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, and a clap of thunder shook the trailer. Daryl sat straight up in bed, groaning in pain as the movement tugged at his stitches. Carol woke quickly, turning on the bedside lamp, gently putting a hand on his shoulder.

"You ok?" she asked softly. The heavy winds slapped the rain against the side of the house, and the windowpanes rattled with each stinging drop.

"Yeah. Shit, it's pourin' outside." He ran a hand through his hair, and he pulled his hand back slick with sweat. Carol gently pressed her hand against his forehead, concern creasing her brow. He wasn't feverish, but she imagined his dreams had probably roused him from his sleep.

"Try to go back to sleep," she urged. Daryl swallowed and nodded, leaning back against the pillow. Carol turned to stare down at him for a moment, gently putting her hand against his chest. He placed his hand over hers, and she gave him a sad smile. "I hate what this is doing to you. I wish there was something I could do to help you."

"You bein' here is all I need," he promised.

This was the third night in a row Daryl had woken from a restless sleep, heart pounding and body covered in a fine sheen of sweat that made him feel sticky and in need of a bath.

"Daryl," Carol murmured, curling her fingers around his. "I'm worried about you."

"Don't gotta worry. I'm gonna be fine."

"Maybe so, but maybe you should talk to someone."

"Like a shrink?"

"Just someone. You killed Ed, Daryl. You were protecting yourself. And me." Daryl looked away, turning onto his side. Carol lay down next to him, turning to curl herself against his back, kissing his shoulder softly. "I wouldn't know, but that has to…it has to change a person. It wouldn't hurt."

"Don't need a damned shrink." He didn't sound angry. He just sounded worn out.

"I did," she offered. "After I left Ed, I talked to someone, and I'm honestly not sure she did much more for me than listen, but I think that's what I needed." She pressed a kiss to the back of his neck. "You can talk to me if you want. I'm here. I just know some people open up faster to a complete stranger." She sniffled then. "I love you. Nothing's ever gonna change that."

"Love you, too," he murmured. Carol gently placed her hand against his chest.

"Let's try to get some sleep." He nodded in agreement, and they settled back down for another attempt at a decent night's sleep.

...

 _Many months later_

 _"The day I met you, I didn't know what kinda future I was lookin' at. I was afraid to think of myself as a father, 'cause I didn't know things were gonna fall in my favor. You looked at me, and you believed in me, and even when everything was chaos, you told me I was good enough. I never thought I was gonna be the guy with a couple of kids and a beautiful wife. I never thought I'd be the guy that has tea parties with his little girl or takes goofy pictures just to bring a smile to my beautiful girlfriend's face. You knew the first day we met. You saw somethin' in me. I thought I was just the asshole that had to clean up his brother's messes. And I hated that I felt that way. But you helped me see that it was ok to feel that. It was ok, because I still never woulda changed a thing. I'm glad we met when we did and not a second before. I don't wanna think about what coulda been or what might've happened if I met you before Jack was born or before Charlie. I think you came along at the perfect time, because it was right, because I needed you just as much as you needed me, even if neither of us realized that at the time. I love you, Carol, and I always will. 'Til my last breath."_

"Carol Dixon," she murmured.

"It feel real yet?" Daryl stepped up behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders as she stood in the middle of the old gazebo, decorated with beautiful white lights, restored and used that very day for their wedding reception. Most of the guests had gone, save for Mary, Michonne and Rick, who were close by but giving the newlyweds a few moments of privacy before departing.

"No, it doesn't," she chuckled, glancing down at the set of rings on her finger, the found one he'd given her and the simple gold band he'd placed upon her finger just that very morning.

"You ready for tomorrow?"

"I wish you'd tell me where we were going," she chuckled. "But, yes." Daryl had been very secretive about their honeymoon, and all she knew was that he was taking her and the kids on a month-long trip somewhere she had no idea about, and they were driving and hauling a small trailer behind the truck, enough to carry their luggage and other things they might need while they were away. Lucky was staying with Rick and Michonne who had just found out they were expecting, and Carol felt a little guilty about leaving the dog for that long. But Rick was already attached to him, and Carol felt certain Lucky wouldn't feel neglected one little bit the entire time they were gone.

"If I told ya, it wouldn't be a surprise. You packed your camera?"

"Yes. For the tenth time," she chuckled.

"Good. You're gonna need it." Carol turned and kissed him softly. She was fresh-faced, and her hair was brushed back out of her eyes. Her soft curls had grown out, enough to frame her face, and she'd had Michonne help her pull it up and back in a simple but elegant style for the ceremony. But the second they'd gotten to the cabin, she'd changed into some jeans and a nice top, and everybody had had a good time just hanging out, drinking and having supper.

Jack had decided to take his first steps that very morning, so he'd made an adorable addition to the wedding procession, toddling—and falling on his diapered bottom—behind Charlie every few steps. Now he was shrieking and laughing as Lucky licked cake off of his fingers.

Carol turned her attention back to her husband and smiled up at him. It had been almost exactly a year since he'd walked into her studio and into her life, and while some days it felt like yesterday, others it felt like so long ago. They had been through so much together. It hadn't been easy after Ed's death. While Carol had often had thoughts that a world without Ed would have made things far easier for everyone, it hadn't exactly happened that way. Ed's death had taken a toll on Daryl. It wasn't exactly guilt that ate at him. It was a fear that one day he might not be there to protect his family. They'd gone through a lot. The anxiety inside of them both had taken a tremendous toll on their relationship, but they hadn't given up. They'd fought for what they both wanted, and in the end, they had come through it together. And they were stronger. Carol couldn't remember the last time either of them had been this happy.

"Contractor says the house'll be ready to move into by the time we get back. I'm hopin' they're right, 'cause otherwise, we're sleepin' at my mother's house 'til it's done."

"I honestly don't think she'd mind," Carol laughed. "But it'll be finished. I know it will."

They had thought and talked a lot about where they wanted to live, and they'd finally settled on buying a beautiful piece of land out in the country, some place close enough that the drive to work wouldn't be too long but far enough away that the sounds of the city were muted by the towering pine trees. It was peaceful. Calm. The remaining money from the settlement after the fire had been put back, and Carol had decided that it was for whatever—or whoever—might come along. They'd had a close call last month, and she'd honestly thought she was pregnant, but it had been a false alarm. She wasn't entirely against the idea, but she wanted to enjoy their little family of four for a while longer before adding to it.

"Daryl, it's getting dark. I want to take the kids back before it gets too late," Mary insisted, walking over with Jack on one hip and Charlie holding her other hand.

"Alright," Daryl murmured, picking Charlie up and giving her a kiss. "You two gonna be good for Grandma?" Charlie nodded. "Ma, you sure you're gonna be ok?"

"Of course," Mary chuckled. "You two are going to be on a month-long honeymoon with two toddlers. I think you deserve at least a night alone together before that chaos begins." Carol laughed and hugged Mary.

"Thank you, Mary," she murmured.

"You two just take care of each other and of my grandbabies. Be safe. Call me. And don't get too close to the edge."

"Ma," Daryl groaned, as Carol raised an eyebrow.

"The edge?" Carol asked. "Ok, now I'm curious."

"I wasn't supposed to say that," Mary chuckled. "Well, I'll just let you wrack your brain until you get there." She winked at the two of them, and Carol caught sight of Michonne from the corner of her eye.

"I'll be right back. You two can talk about what Daryl's plotting while I'm out of earshot." Carol gave Mary one last hug and kissed both of the kids before she hurried over to Michonne.

"Ma, if you need anything while we're gone, don't be afraid to call Michonne. She's been spendin' a lot of time with the kids, and they love her. She'll come help."

"Thank you, but Grandma can manage just fine," Mary insisted. She was staying in a cabin down the road with the kids, and tomorrow, Carol and Daryl were going to leave their own cabin, pick up the kids and start off on whatever journey Daryl was taking them on.

"I wanna thank you for bein' there. For everything you've helped me with since the kids came along."

"You don't have to thank me for that," Mary chuckled. "I'm here to spoil my babies." She leaned in and kissed her son on the cheek. "I might not get the chance to keep them like this after you two get back."

"Ma, just 'cause we're movin' away from town don't mean you ain't still gonna be there. We're still comin' over for dinner. We're still gonna need a night out here and there. And hell, if you wanna keep the kids for a weekend, I don't think we're gonna have a problem with that. You're their grandma. You got a say, too." He saw the smile spread over Mary's face. "Love you, Ma."

"Oh, I love you, too," she sighed, hugging him with her free arm. "Now, you two take lots of pictures, and there's only one souvenir I want."

"What's that?"

"Another grandbaby," Mary grinned. Daryl put his hand over his face for a moment, and she laughed. "Oh, I'm kidding. Well, I'm not, but no pressure."

Out in the clearing, Carol hugged Michonne, and when she pulled back, Michonne had tears in her eyes.

"Ok, why are you crying? I'm the bride. I'm supposed to cry, remember?"

"I'm just happy for you," Michonne sniffled.

"I'm happy," Carol sighed. "I'm just nervous, I guess."

"Nervous?"

"Yeah. I mean, it's going to be different now. Not different, but…I don't know."

"It doesn't have to be. Just because you signed a piece of paper and said a few vows doesn't mean that the way you've been living for the past year has to change. You two have been happy together, and you've been good for each other. Just remember that. You've gotten through what's probably the worst thing either one of you will go through. It's not going to be the only rough patch, but you got through that, so you can get through anything. Right?"

"Right," Carol murmured. "Thank you." She hugged her again. "You sure you're ok with watching Lucky?"

"Are you kidding?" Michonne snorted, glancing over to where Rick was playing fetch with the dog. "I think this dog's going to kick _me_ out of bed tonight."

"Oh no, he knows better," Carol laughed. "But you'll probably have to settle for him sleeping on the foot of your bed."

"Now that I can handle," Michonne laughed.

"Now just one more thing," Carol murmured.

"What's that?"

"Do you know where he's taking me?"

"Yes, and I'm not telling. But you'll love it. Now don't ask me again, because I'm bursting to tell you, and I probably will." Carol made a face, and Michonne rolled her eyes. "Just don't get too close to the edge, and make sure you get sunrise and sunset pictures. Now, that's it. Go kiss your husband."

"Fine," Carol laughed. "Love you."

"Love you, too." Michonne hurried off, and Carol turned just as Mary walked up behind her.

"You looked beautiful today."

"Thank you," Carol smiled. "Thank you for being here. You've been so amazing helping out with everything."

"I want my son to be happy." She gave her a quick hug. "And you. You're the closest thing I've got to a daughter, and I'm so proud to have you in our family." Carol felt her chest tighten, and when Mary gave her a kiss on the cheek, her lip trembled. "Ok, Charlie. Tell Mama good night."

"Night Mama," Charlie giggled, as Carol gave her a quick kiss.

"Mama!" Jack echoed. Carol took the baby in her arms and peppered kisses to his face.

"We'll call before we head over in the morning," Carol promised.

"Alright. Take your time. I'll feed them that way you can all hit the road." She reached out and gave Carol's hand a squeeze. "You're a blessing to this family. To Daryl. I'm not sure you'll ever understand how happy I am that he found you." She walked away then, leaving Carol blinking back the tears. When she felt his hands on her shoulders, she let out a shaking breath.

"You ok?" Daryl asked softly.

"Yeah," she sniffled, turning in his arms. "I'm just happy. Thank you."

"For what?"

"For everything," she sniffled, kissing him softly. "I love you."

...

Their family portrait sat above the fireplace of their brand new home. Their sun-kissed, wind-burnt skin glowed with sweat and sunlight. They looked exhausted but happy. Carol held Charlie, while Daryl held Jack, and they stood with their backs to a beautiful view at the south rim of the Grand Canyon. They smiled genuine smiles showing a truly happy moment in a life full of ups and downs. The Colorado River glimmered in the fading light of the setting sun.

A year after their wedding, they took another family portrait, with a sleeping baby girl nuzzled against her mother's chest. Her name was Sophia, and she had her mother's hair and her father's goofy ears.

Photographs lined the walls, showing Charlie and Jack growing from babies to toddlers. Sophia featured in some now, the tiny little sister with delicate features and her parents wrapped around her little fingers.

A book sat on the coffee table of the cozy living room of their country home with Carol's name scrawled in gold leaf across the front. _Beauty of the West_ was the title, and its popularity had opened Carol up to many new offers. But her little studio remained, and while she loved the peaceful beauty she encountered on her travels, there was nothing like coming home and getting back down to business and coming home at the end of a long day to a house full of children's laughter and to a husband who had seen her through the worst and helped her through every step of the way.

She wasn't sure what twist of fate had led Daryl and those beautiful babies into her life, but she was certain that they had given her life joy again. She didn't like to think about the maybes or the what ifs. She was simply grateful to have what she had and knew better than to take it for granted.

The big, beautiful countryside home with a gazebo in the back yard and a tree house for the kids held more love between its photo-covered walls than she had ever thought possible, and she knew that everything she never thought she'd have had been there all along, waiting to walk into her life and change it forever.

The End


End file.
